Living Rooms – Emily Henderson

My Brother’s River House Living Room Reveal – With A TV On A Tiled Fireplace

Emily — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 09:00:00 +0000

I’m pretty sentimental writing this post. After four years (maybe 5?), this is the last room reveal of my brother’s family river house. Working on this project has been so incredibly fulfilling. If lessons are gifts (which they are), this project gave me too many to count; I’m spoiled with the bounty. Not every second was easy, but almost all were enjoyable, and I’m happy to report that our sibling friendship is stronger because of it (which is the real win here). So today you are going to see their living room, which is really just a big beautiful family room, TV on tiled fireplace, and all 🙂 I love it very, very, very much.

But not before we go back in time and indulge in some process. This isn’t a concise magazine; we belabor the details here by really forcing you to watch the process, Clockwork Orange style.

Let’s go back in time…

Anne Usher, the architect, designed the house and did an incredible job. The living room has a huge fireplace in the middle, flanked by windows and a bench seat, creating symmetry which is really easy for your eye to understand (and thus be pleased by). I also love symmetry. It makes my brain so happy (which is why I could never ever ever buy one of those houses with odd angles like a dome). Symmetry also makes a room easy to furnish. It should also be noted that I like clear and easy sight lines, so this layout worked for me.

As you can see, the living room opens to the game room, entry, kitchen, and dining room. Perhaps that’s why they call it the “great” room 🙂

It also opens to the back patio, and there is enough room for flow. She’s big and could have been laid out a million ways (keep scrolling for how I did it). The white oak windows are by Marvin, which they bought after being in our Mountain house (they are so pretty – goodness, I miss that house).

Ceiling Lights

My biggest design decisions were the fireplace tile and the lighting. The ceiling lights were chosen because they were the perfect scale for the room and they gave off the light that we wanted, while being stylistically simple. While having really high ceilings might not be your everyday relatable problem, if you should find yourself so lucky, make sure that your lighting is scaled to the size of the ceiling and you aren’t staring up at a bulb searing your eyeballs. These look like hanging lamps, with warm fabric shades that give off a lot of light (there are four of them after all), but never harsh on your eyes because they have a diffuser underneath. And the fact that we could adjust the drop to help bring the ceiling down (making it feel warmer, more intimate) sold us. They aren’t distracting. They don’t pull your eye too much. They are, quite literally, the perfect choice (she pats herself on the back here).

The Tiled Fireplace

Fireplace Tile

Ken/Katie, Max, and I all went to Ann Sacks, who was partnering with me on this home, to choose the fireplace tile, and we were extremely drawn to this 3-dimensional, incredible tile. We knew that it would be high impact but quiet (Ken and Katie don’t love flashy design) while catching the light in a way that added a pattern and texture. It’s truly excellent. Now, the reason we chose black was because we knew that they wanted to hang a TV in here. We seriously debated the green, but I felt strongly that if they were going to hang a TV on it, it needed to be black so as not to break it up visually as much.

Hanging A TV On A Tiled Fireplace

I understand that some of you might feel enraged by this choice – to drill into beautiful tile just to watch TV? It might feel like blasphemy to make the focal point of your living room a screen. It’s a real designer’s nightmare…and yet I was all for it. I know my brother, and I knew he wouldn’t sit in here on the weekends unless there was a TV in here. He’s a former football coach! Could they have laid out the room differently to provide a blank wall for a TV? Sure, but they didn’t. And I, for one, love the shared focal point, the symmetrical layout, and with the Frame TV. I think it looks RAD.

My #1 Goal with homes …

I believe in designing rooms to be enjoyed and used. I never, ever, ever, want someone to have a pretty room that has no real purpose and no one enjoys. I’m an enneagram 7 – I want everyone to be happy and have fun. I knew that they needed a TV in here, and frankly, there are times when I wish that we had one in our living room (Brian is adamantly against which I appreciate). I also forced Kaitlin to put one in her living room, and she hasn’t stopped thanking me. A room needs a purpose to gather. It doesn’t always have to be a TV, but it sure can help.

The Scenic Doors

Sliding Doors

I wasn’t involved in these, but boy, are they gorgeous and function like a dream. So smooth and just accordion open and closed so easily. They bought them from Western Pacific.

The Final Reveal

Here she is – a really warm, comfortable, easy-to-live-in living/family room that is kid/pet-friendly and yet design-forward (isn’t that what we all want???). I’m so proud of this room. It’s calm and quiet, and yet doesn’t feel basic.

Like I said, it’s a really easy living room to live in, as it should be. Look at those sweet kiddos! My kids are pretty obsessed with their kids, which makes living here 100% worth it – cousins growing up with each other is not something I got to enjoy, but always admired. Elliot and Kennedy are best friends (seriously, they prefer each other over all of their separate friends), and Charlie is Frank’s big brother. We feel very grateful.

Hallway Ceiling Lights | Entry Rug | Game Room Planter

When you enter the house, you have the game room to the right, then the kitchen on the left of the green rug, and the living room on the right. It’s extremely open and filled with natural light (like brother, like sister). I love this shot, and it really showcases Anne Usher’s skills.

Sofa Console Table | Small Sphere Lamp | Large Bowl (no longer available) | Side Table | Table Lamp

The scale of the room is big, therefore the scale of the furniture has to be big. The rug is a 12×15, the sofas are 108″ and 96″. You walk into the back of one of our sofas (the Otto), which is attractive (I love the curve of the arm from the back), but there was so much extra space, so we added that IKEA bookshelf to help fill it out.

Entry Rug | Large Faux Tree

I love the green rug leading you out to the river. It feels really cohesive and just so intentional (which it is).

The Otto Sofa | Coffee Table | Bowl | Vase | Side Table

Behind the living room is the kitchen, positioned so everyone can chill and even watch TV while cooking and hanging with friends. The coffee table is from Crate & Barrel and is pretty fantastic for the scale. I love peeping at the stairway railing in the background – so pretty.

Man, this house sings to me. Your eye isn’t trying to figure anything out; it’s very easy to compute. The kitchen is to the left, and the dining room is back on the right. Such a dream.

The Oscar Sofa | Blueprint Wall Sconces

Looking back towards the game room, you have a lady who is seemingly very comfortable on her sofa (perhaps because it’s rated one of the most comfy sofas in the world??). I love those Blueprint sconces that act as sculptures and the glass doors that create a really cool architectural element. Shout out to the $30 World Market lamp (don’t ever accuse me of being a design snob – I’m picky, but not snobby).

Burgundy Lumbar Pillow | Throw Blanket | Burgundy Pillow | Silk Pillow | Wall-Mounted Table

I really love our Oscar Sofa and Otto sofa, talking to each other in this shot. They seem to really love each other – both friendly, soft, and welcoming 🙂

Now, I get that the fireplace without a TV would be stunning, but I think we can all agree that the fireplace with a Frame TV above it looks pretty fantastic. Don’t let your aesthetics hinder your function; just find a way to make them work together.

The Baby Barb Chair | Green Pillow | Side Table | Canister | Floor Lamp

I love this shot. The Baby Barb is baby barbing hard. She’s really big (a chair and a half), but I’m so jealous that Ken gets to sit in her every day. I’m a really, really good sister.

We partnered with Decorview on the shades and curtains in this room, which I’ll write more about later, but it’s a fantastic reminder that rooms can feel cold without them. And a huge shoutout to Pollack fabrics for creating a fabric that brings the entire house together.

And presenting Harvey as tribute. We all love Harvey, who sheds and barks but is the sweetest dog and only wants to be held by his big baby big brother daddy Ken.

UGH. That’s a GREAT view right there. I can’t wait for the slider on this one – we worked so hard and cared so much. It’s incredibly rewarding to see it all come together (and we shot this before we had all three green runner rugs to connect together – now it’s a big, long corridor rug).

I’m really proud of this room. It’s so comfortable, coz,y and conversational. It’s easy to hang out in and yet still commands the importance of the home. Thanks for following along. This isn’t the last river house post (I want to decompress with you), but this reveal has been coming for a long time. Thank you so much for reading. I really, really appreciate you. Ask all the questions in the comments. xx

Oh, and of course, here are the before and after sliders:)

Living Room Resources:
Fireplace Tile: Ann Sacks
Benches: Custom
Bench Fabric: Pollack
Wall Color: Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams
Pendants: Rejuvenation
Sconces: Blueprint Lighting
Faux Tree: City Home PDX
Seating (Sofas and Chair): Room Service by Emily Henderson
Window Shades: Decorview
Windows by Marvin Windows and Doors
Slider Doors: Western Pacific
Flooring: Stuga

*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

How To Create A Non Generic Living Room (That Will Also Impress Your Family For The Holidays)

Jess Bunge — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Here’s the deal. There’s never really a bad time to buy home decor and furniture. When you’re ready and able to invest, then you should because the sooner you make you’re home your own, the better. However, there are better times to buy these wonderful things, and that is when they are on sale, because why not save money on pieces you were or have been considering purchasing if you can? Enter Wayfair’s Way Day (10/26 – 10/29). It’s their biggest sale of the season, where they offer up to 80% off AND free shipping. Dare I say, this is the best time to purchase home decor (not to mention, it’s right in time for the holidays).

This post was sponsored by Wayfair, but all words and opinions are my own!

So with that all in mind, I know most of you want to avoid creating a living room that looks like it could be anyone’s. You also want interesting, well-made pieces that look even a little unexpected together, and all of that is what I’m going to be talking about today. I’m showing you five non generic living room design mood boards that I created to act as exciting jumping-off points. And because we love and know the quality of our Room Service sofas, obviously, I chose five of them for this post (they are on sale too!!). They were designed to be sofas that would be comfortable, work for everyday life, but with the design of a much more expensive sofa. These babies are meant to turn heads and impress friends and family who come over. Let’s get started with the first combo.

The first mood board I’ll be talking you through is more of an organic, modern traditional style. I took some notes from Emily’s brother’s river house family room because look how beautiful and cozy it is?!

Now, I chose the brown velvety fabric, and I wanted to show you a much better photo of it before you see the render. It’s honestly one of my favorites in the collection. You can also order a sample to see it in person before you buy! We decided to edit the overall design to make it MUCH better, so that’s why this one looks different:)

See what I mean? All of the lines of the pieces are clean and modern, but the shapes of the lamp, chair, and pattern of the rug are traditional. The greens, browns, and different woods give it that organic feel, and nothing is matchy-matchy. Even the green tones are varied! I also want to point out the important style choice to mix visually bottom-heavy pieces with less visually top-heavy pieces. The sectional and coffee table (and the lamp in a way) are flat to the ground, and the bulk of the visual weight is at the bottom. Then the accent chair and media console have legs and space under them, with their visual weight on the top. It’s a nice balance that your eyes will appreciate in the space. Add some family heirlooms if you have any you like, and some more decor (which Wayfair has so much of), and you are set.

Same colors as the one before, but a very different vibe! You may recognize this elegant (and comfortable) sofa from the opening photo since two of them are now living in Emily’s own living room! With this design, I went a little more refined, traditional, but still cozy. To offset the visible weight and contrast the style of the sofa, I chose these two coffee tables. Then, to talk to the shape of the sofa and the curves of the swivel chair, I chose that beautiful cabinet. The two-tone is really pretty, and I love that there is both open and closed storage for all pieces you may have picked up in your travels?? Just saying:) The pattern in the rug speaks to the lines in the coffee tables as well. Finally, to drive home the traditional style, I chose that very comfy-looking swivel wingback chair (also good for being able to face the sofa and then turn to the TV, if applicable:)) and that great gold lamp.

Ok, we’re done with only greens and neutrals, and bringing in some blues and a much warmer wood! That sectional (Milo) is wonderful, and you can have the chaise on either side (it also comes in a single sofa). Its perfectly chunky feet give it that space under but also work so well with the chunky coffee table, accent chair, and media console. But then, to make sure there’s a little extra lightweight piece, that lamp is so pretty, and the rug has so much movement and color. You’ve likely heard me talk about that chair and the sofa below because they are my children:) They were my first real design of this collection, and if I had space for them (or at least this chair) in my home, they would be here in a second. Oh, and that “media console” is actually three pieces next to each other (and are sold separately). Clearly, it’s modular, so you can stack as you please!

What’s happier and more fun than a pink sofa?? This one is actually even a little softer, dustier pink in person. We were very specific in picking the prettiest and most versatile tone. Then, with this living room design, there’s a nice balance of curves and offset linear geometry. The sofa, oval coffee table, and swivel chairs (yes, it’s a set of two!) fall in the curve category, while the rug, media console, and lamp (in a way) are very linear. I love that both the rug and console have this “not perfect” geometric pattern. It feels very fresh to me. There’s also that nice balance of top and bottom visual weight distribution, don’t you think? It’s a little modern with a hint of traditional, and neutral, but with an exciting yet calm pop of color.

Here is the final design with the crowd favorite sofa…Oscar. Emily has coined it as “the most sinkable” in the collection, and she is right. All of the sofas are comfortable (we wouldn’t design/sell ones that weren’t), but this is the one you actually sink into. It’s pretty amazing, and that blue velvet is stunning. This living room design was also inspired by an Emily room from way back when. The blue sofa and cowhide rug are the major callbacks, IYKYK. She also says that cowhides are extremely easy to clean and was the best rug when her kids were little. Midcentury modern style is a heavy influence here with that beautiful media console, brass lamp, and color of the swivel chair! There’s a little less of a balance of the top and bottom visual weight I’ve been talking about this whole post, but the coffee table is so chunky that it’s a perfect in-between.

So those are our little guides to creating the base of a really great, non generic living room. Again, if you need some furniture and/decor for anywhere in your home, Way Day is not to be missed. Their sales are so good (up to 80%), and with free shipping, it’s a no-brainer. Remember, it’s only until the 29th! Happy shopping:)

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Farmhouse Living Room Update: The Sofas I Designed For The Space Are Here (And So Many Changes)

The River House Game Room Reveal (The One Everyone Wants To Be In)

Emily — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000

I alluded to it, hyped it up. Even sold it hard as “my favorite room in the house,” and today you are going to see it (and judge for yourself). Although I love LOVE the living room (coming soon) and I probably give out that trophy too often, I nailed this room with very little effort (fine besides paneling the walls after a bad dark blue paint). I actually think this is way more my style than my own home at times (which, as you know, is more of a traditional farmhouse, which I love so incredibly much, but an all wood scandy blue/green and wood room has my heart).

Entry Rug

This room had a lot of help from Anne Usher, the architect who placed this room in the house with really pretty light, huge windows, and extremely high ceilings. So architecturally, we were already winning with her design. Or maybe I should give Stuga credit for that flooring we put on the walls (we used Drift – it’s perfect) because once it was up, I swiped right and am now fully committed to this room, emotionally. Til Death Do Us Part (or them eventually selling and moving, lol).

The Walls

Wall Wood Paneling | Wood Flooring | Electric Piano | Artwork | Frames

So yes, all the walls are clad in Drift paneling from Stuga, horizontally installed. We had a ton leftover from all the ceilings, and when we didn’t like the room in dark blue, we were THRILLED to be able to pivot hard to wood. It just makes a room so warm and easy to design. It’s instant-vibe. The electric piano is the same one that we have – Roland encased in a really nice-looking faux white oak. Above it, we framed 6 drawings of odd men by “Bedeupree” that are so whimsical and fun (and look perfect in here). Target frames FTW.

Cabinet Paint Color | Glassware | 4 in a Row Game

The cabinets and shelving are painted in a soft taupe called Malabar, pulled from the lighter tones of the wood. Inside the cabinets are their printer and home office stuff. And above I styled with a lot of things I had in my inventory and sent Katie and Ken on a trip to Powell’s to buy a bunch of books they’d want (then supplemented with these, which are both awesome and so embarrassing).

Katie says they all are so drawn to this room for games, chess, puzzles, homework – it’s just a room they want to be in that is still so close to the kitchen and living room.

R ug | Chairs | Table

We furnished it with a rug from our old collection, which has so many tones of blues and greens in it. I always wanted this rug to be more plush (because I want every rug to be plush), but man, the color is so good, and that light stripe is really pretty. We found the perfect darker table from AllModern, and Katie splurged (on my request) on these chairs from Soho Home. Listen, this room is the first room you see coming into the house, right off the entry. These chairs had to be pretty and special. The color is DIVINE.

Planter

Oh, and yes, they have glass pocket doors that close it off, although I’m unsure what the purpose of them is, except they look really pretty. They don’t mask much of the sound, but maybe a little? I love the look of them and wasn’t responsible for designing them, but I love how they turned out.

Oscar Sofa | Long Lumbar Pillow (similar) | Cabinet Hardware | Drawer Hardware

OMG. What is she doing up there??! Giving “Belle” hard (but in a French maid outfit and heels?). We put our Oscar sofa in green tweed in here, the cushiest, most comfortable (and best-selling in navy blue velvet) sofa in our collection. We always meant to install sconces on the sides of the cabinets (and I think even wired for it), but haven’t yet (and not sure we will).

Chandelier | Decorview

The chandelier kills me. It’s huge, both in width and length, really commanding attention in the really tall ceilings. It’s a work of art, a sculpture, and still provides perfect lighting. It’s from Blueprint Lighting, which means you can customize the colors of the enamel and the metal. We chose Pearl and Charcoal with Natural Brass and had it drop enough that you could see it fully without looking up, but it wouldn’t obstruct the view too much. It’s PERFECT.

This room needed window treatments due to it being west-facing, so we partnered with Decorview to install motorized shades in a soft taupe. We wanted it to kinda disappear instead of being a feature. And since the top window is so high, the remote easily controls them up and down.

Putnam Ladder

It’s not a super eclectic room with a lot of surprises. But my goodness, the vibe, tone, light, and simplicity draw you in and make you want to just flop on the sofa or play connect four (apparently, lol). The ladder is from Putnam, which we wrote about here. We chose the Quiet Glide version with the Walnut stain and Double Roller. It can be pushed in to be more vertical for easier storing, but passes along in front of the sofa easily.

Green Stool

The piano came with an adjustable bench that matches, but I found this stool from World Market that simply looks so much better 🙂

Faux Potted Plant | Entry Table (no longer available) | Blueprint Sconce

A big shout-out to one of the best faux trees I’ve ever seen (used multiple times in this house). I love this shot so much. The table in the background was mine, from Urban Outfitters years ago, and it doesn’t live here, but we added it for the shot. It made me motivated to get a small piece for here (the round is way too invasive, but could be a sideboard or a demilune).

Chandelier

The tones, the colors, the richness, and yet lightness. Y’all, I know that this may not be everyone’s cup of tea (perhaps too simple or not maximalist enough for many), but I’m really proud of this room and how it just sings softly and cohesively.

And my brother’s family LOVES it. I think it’s Katie’s favorite room, too (although again, wait til you see the living room). It’s easy to live in, easy to maintain, bright, and yet warm space that invites you into the house and sets the tone. It feels so balanced with warm and cool tones, with enough contrast to pop, but extremely calming. Its 100% my vibe, and we are going to live happily together, forever.

Game Room Resources:

Flooring: Stuga
Cabinetry Paint Color: Malabar by Sherwin-Williams
Rolling Ladder: Putnam
Sconces and Chandelier: Blueprint
Window Shades: Decorview
Windows by Marvin Windows and Doors

Makeover Takeover: It’s FINALLY Here…Jess’ Art Filled Living Room/Office Reveal

Jess Bunge — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000

I half jokingly told the team that I wanted to write an Emily Bowser-style post. Now, that’s a BIG statement given how incredibly entertaining and helpful her posts are. They take you on a long, winding journey. You will laugh, you may cry, but without a doubt, you will have a wonderful time. So maybe consider this a kind of Bunge adaptation of sorts? I mainly stated this to them because my lord has this living room design been a journey that started longer ago than I’d like to admit. Did my brother get married and have a baby who just turned one in less time than it took to finish my whole living room? I can neither confirm nor deny (I did technically reveal half of it here:)). But what I can confirm is that there is a lot to cover, that I’m so proud of the final result, and of course, I feel so unbelievably lucky that this is my home. As a fun warning, there probably should have been an intro post, given how long this one turned out to be. But if I’m following in Emily Bowser’s footsteps, the longer the post, the better. So grab your favorite beverage, get seated in a cozy spot, and come with me on my living room design tale. This is why we read blogs, right? For the juicy details? I realllly hope so, ha. Thank you for your patience. I know this reveal took SO LONG, and I hope you think it was at least a little worth it:)

And no offense taken if you are like, “Jess, love ya, I’m scrolling to the pretty photos first.”

Let’s Start At The Beginning

This is more or less where I started when I first moved in. Everything here is from my last apartment, which I used a good amount of in the final design. I tried the furniture layout a few different ways, which I talk about here in this post, but ultimately this one worked the best and made me feel like I had a “living room area” and an “office area” despite them being in the same room.

The Gray Brown Fireplace Drama

My first major issue, or so I thought, was the fireplace. When I toured the apartment before I moved in, I was beyond excited about this fireplace, working or not (it doesn’t work, FYI). But then I moved in, plopped that light cream colored sofa down, and design mental chaos took over my brain. “This looks bad. I have to make a DIY cover!” I said to myself and anyone who would listen. All of a sudden, the gray undertone of the tiles haunted my dreams, the red(?) spots on the grout mocked me every time I looked their way. Naturally, I called my dad and asked if he could help build something. And because he’s the best, he said, “Draw it up and I’ll see what I can do.”

Then, on one of his trips down (he lives in Northern California), he brought these front pieces to see how he needed to proceed. Well, after a few minutes, I got the “Jess, it’s not going to happen.” I immediately blamed his lack of imagination. It was at that moment (and after about 20 minutes of telling him he was wrong) that I conceded to putting a pin in that idea for a least a little while…and luckily I did. Also, that hairstyle lasted a liiiittle longer than it probably should have. I think he really just loved showing off that he could still grow long, luscious locks.

My Sofa

Then came the new sofa. For those of you who might not know the entire EHD alum team, this sofa is part of a collaboration with Lulu and Georgia with one of Emily’s first employees, Ginny Macdonald. She’s an incredible designer, so it was no surprise that her collection was and is so special. I only got to work with Ginny for about a year before Em made the decision to close the client side of the business, and she then started her own firm. Needless to say, she’s as fun and kind as she is talented, so getting to have a sofa of hers was a dream. So aside from it having an extra special meaning, being beautiful, and very comfortable, that delicious cognac velvet totally balanced the room visually with the brown fireplace. I don’t think I had quite experienced that kind of immediate transformation before. All of a sudden, I didn’t feel the need to “figure something out” with the fireplace.

So Many Rugs

Another “saga” was the rug. I LOVE my grey checkered Annie Selke one and still have it (obviously!), but in this 100+ year old home, it didn’t evoke the feeling I wanted it to. It was a little too “refined.” I wanted a style contrast with a more organic, cozy, textured vibe, which is how I ended up ordering this rug above based on seeing a similar one in a room I loved on Instagram. It’s a Greek Long Hair Flokati rug that was a great price (under $400 at the time for a 6×9) and was really pretty, but also not right. I tried it in my bedroom too, but no dice. It now lives with the checkered rug in my storage unit (because I carelessly didn’t return it in time), waiting for its day in the sun.

But then I stumbled upon this amazing rug from Revival Rugs, which was generously gifted to me, and I was and am still blown away. The quality is so good, it’s SO soft, looks expensive, and at the time, I believe it was under $600. I know that everyone has a different budget and one person’s “affordable” is another’s “not affordable,” but let me tell you that, for the quality you get, these rugs could be much more expensive. My cousin has them all over her house (like in here), and they are all just as great as this one.

Then came the idea for the main wall…

My Dream Shelves

Of course, I thought of maybe doing a gallery wall, but since that was the main feature of my last living room, I wanted to do something different. My next thought was shelves. I looked at some vintage-looking wall-mounted readymade units, but none of them felt right. Now, I knew I wanted an architectural sconce (replacing the one that came with the apartment). So it was then that I thought of doing two asymmetrical shelves with floor-to-ceiling brass bars. There was another detail I was kinda obsessed with, and of course, it was never going to be a copy, because that’s stealing and wrong, but I’d had Flack Studio’s curved utensil bar on my mind since the first time I saw it in Troye Sivan’s AD tour. I wanted/was deserapte to do some kind of curve in the bars. The wonderful and talented Julie Rose was at my place for dinner when I told her my ideas, she gave me some great feedback, and then, without me even asking, made that render above! Naturally, it turned out a bit different in the final design, but this was so helpful to get the initial idea visualized. Thank you, Julie, for always being the best design buddy!!

You might be thinking, well, your sweet little ideas are great and all, but how and WHO is going to make this custom shelving piece for you?? Enter BuildLane. I reached out to see if they might be interested, and they said yes! I thank the universe every day that they did. While their bread and butter are upholstered furniture and case goods, they can do anything, and that’s what they did with this piece. They only work with designers and firms, so if you fall into that category or know someone who does, make sure they know about them. The process was so streamlined, the communication was great, and you will see in a minute how impeccable their work is. I also have a very important and special piece in my bedroom from them, too, so I really do stand by their work. Plus, I did get an LA factory tour, which was like being at Disneyland for me, and got to see even more of what they do. So impressed.

Here was my very professional tape job to make sure I knew where I wanted everything to land. And yes, I was extremely stressed about making a mistake and ruining everything. Oh, and don’t worry, I’ll be talking about that sconce later:)

Custom furniture is no joke, despite how ridiculous and comical my cardboard shelf was, ha. It’s also why I was so grateful to have BuildLane to be able to make sure everything was exact and made sense.

And then Christmas morning came! Just kidding, but also maybe this was better? Seeing what I came up with in my head, made into a beautiful physical piece, was beyond words. Frank and the whole BuildLane team really went above and beyond. The shelves were perfect.

I need and want to give another (but not the last) shoutout to my dad. He came down to install them with me, and we only got into a couple of small arguments! And in case any of you are thinking that I drilled into the hardwood floors, the answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT. BuildLane (and a huge thank you to Stephen) made sure that the bottom of the poles had levelers and that there was a bracket at the top of each pole to secure it to the ceiling. The shelves themselves also have hidden brackets, so everything is super safe and secured.

I sent this picture to my dad after I replaced the standard (not cute) light switch that was there with the vintage one I bought when I visited him in Paris (I wrote about that trip here). It was a process that I heavily questioned at least 3 times because let’s just say A LOT of spackle was used having to go from a rectangular switch to a small circle. Honestly, I’m surprised I got an “Impressive” and not “Good thing I taught you everything you know.” I’ll take the wins where I can get them. But I’m also sure he said it in his head.

Finding “Colorful” Art

Then came choosing art. Aside from those dreamy pink stone wall-mounted book holders, I didn’t have a solid art plan. I was playing with what I had, and nothing was looking how I wanted. That large graphic piece was meant to go over the fireplace, but I decided to try it on this wall. I liked it on the right, but the black part made one of the lamp shades nearly disappear (Julie thankfully pointed that out), and I didn’t love it enough on the left to then have to find a new piece for above the fireplace. (Also, thank you to my dear friend Franchesca for being the best art holder.) Designing is better (and easier) when you have friends.

Meet my brother, Morgan, and my next victim, whom I conned into helping me with a DIY project. If you read The Link Up, then you may remember I had an emergency ovarian torsion surgery earlier this year (see ya, right fallopian tube!). 0/10, Do not recommend. However, a very sweet silver lining was that my brother immediately flew down to take care of me for a few days. For an older sister to have her little brother wait on them hand and foot…10000/10! Highly recommend. One of the projects that I had been wanting to do was build a frame for a DIY art piece to fill in that right side. But guess who couldn’t lift over 10 lbs for a month and had a brother who’s very handy at her disposal? ME. So when he asked if there was anything I needed help with, Mo Man was going to be building me my frame.

My goal with this piece of art was to add more color to the space. Almost all of my art is black, white, tan, brown, gray, you get it. However, I have this amazing, boldly colored photo print by Arielle Bobb-Willis that I really wanted to display. I bought the paint for the frame, taped out my pattern, and planned to mix the perfect blue. Let’s just say I couldn’t really get the color I wanted, and as I was looking at the frame and even the photo print, it just didn’t feel like a perfect fit for this room. I waited to fully scrap the idea until I found the right piece, and boy, did I. I can’t wait to tell you that story. That gorgeous photo print will find a home in the future.

The Nesting Coffee Table

Since we’re on the topic of DIYs. Here’s a little story about my mismatched nesting coffee tables. That black one is from my last living room, and while I love it, it didn’t look right. But I had already purchased that incredible vintage one that I’m fairly certain I got a great deal on. I bought it for $375 (with Caitlin as my “travel/pickup in an unfamiliar area buddy”), but then saw the same one for at least $600 online. A win is a win! But that meant I needed a shorter nesting friend because just the vintage one would have been too small for the sofa on its own.

Then last year, I saw this ottoman on Target’s website and thought it could work. I knew it was too tall from the online description, so I went to potentially buy it in person and check to see if dear ole dad (or me) could chop off a few inches from the wooden legs. Well, as you can see from the workshop in my bathroom, it was a success.

Tada! For $100ish, I was able to get the perfect shape and size I wanted with a little help from some power tools. I considered reupholstering it, but decided against it.

The Media Cabinet Bench Breakdown…The Mental Kind

The actual last DIY my dad helped me with was my media cabinet/bench. He built the frame, then I sanded, stained, and almost lost my mind.

My main reason for the bench was to hide all of these unsightly electronics. I won’t bore you with the whole saga (like me realizing that after the bench was done, I FORGOT to consider that the internet access cable was on the opposite side of the room. Cool, cool, cool.) Don’t worry, there’s a happy ending.

Welcome to the beginning of my losing my mind. I wouldn’t say math is my strength, so somewhat detailed measurements easily make my head spin right off. These were the cabinet doors and the beginning of “evenly” placing all of my future circle holes.

And these are actual photos I put on the internet during the process 3 years ago. Is it even a real Jess project if she doesn’t attempt a DIY that makes her question all of her life decisions?? Don’t worry, I have one for the bedroom too.

Then, after all of the holes were cut out and everything stained, I thought it would look better/more high-end if I stained wooden circle discs a darker color to have an inlayed look. It wasn’t a full success, so I pivoted and went to Mood Fabrics because I’m a millennial who grew up on Project Runway and bought a couple of pieces of black leather to stretch and then staple-gunned it to the back of the doors. I think I spent a little over $100 on the leather, which I was happy to do just to be done. Now I look at it every day and love it because I put so much into it, and it’s a piece that I did with my dad.

Look, I love a beautifully designed room regardless of whether it’s all new, all old, or a mix. But a space that has a lot of sentimental pieces and memories poured into it will always be my favorite. So without further ado (yes, we’re finally here), my living room…

The Reveal

Here she is in all of her glory. I love the rich textures, I love the little pops of color, I LOVE my shelves, and I love that I actually have family photos up (not something I’ve always done:)). I also am so appreciative that after looking at this space for far too long, I love that Emily Bowser came to style it exactly how I was hoping it would look.

Ah, it’s hard to know where to start, but since I promised to talk about the sconce, let’s begin there. I have a love affair with lighting, and at the top of my “non-vintage” wishlist was a wall light by WO&WÉ. I feel like I first saw their work when I started working here almost 10 years ago. To me, they are modern classics. Knowing how in love I was with the light, my dad offered to get it for me as a wildly generous Christmas gift (I DO NOT deserve him). They are not inexpensive lamps, but given that they are all handmade in France, if they are within your budget, the quality and beauty are phenomenal. I would have absolutely saved up had I not been given this wonderful surprise. What is also a sweet addition to this company is that the designer, Oliver, has been joined by his daughter, Juliette, making it a father-daughter family business. Makes me love it even more. I was able to customize as well. In the standard design, the arm that extends from the wall came out further than I ideally wanted. Since everything is handmade, they were easily able to shorten it. Now it extends just a few inches beyond the depth of the shelves. It’s perfect.

Antique Foot Warmer | Chair: 500 Designs That Matter Book | The New Design Rules Book | Upstate: Living Spaces with Space to Live Book | Rust Vase

Speaking of the shelves, take a look at the details. The unlaquared brass finish and the finish on the wood are perfect. The cutouts on the front were an idea I had from a bench I saw in a New York hotel lobby. The bench’s divits weren’t different widths, but I wanted to mix it up to give a more “organic brutalist” look. It wasn’t in the initial design, so I was so grateful that BuildLane was happy to edit that detail so easily. I mean, if you’re going custom, make it count, right?

And oh, what a beautiful blue book at the end of that shelf:)

Let’s talk decor, shall we? The books on the top shelf are ones I’ve collected from flea markets, Emily, library sales, etc. The larger vase and cream ceramic sculpture are from the Downtown Modernism flea market. The sculpture is by an artist that Emily introduced us to, Melinda Forster, who is so talented and extremely kind. I love getting to see her booth each time I go, and every time I hope I don’t come off like a weird fan girl, ha. The little patterned vessel was from my first Mexico City trip, and I think it adds the perfect visual punch. It’s the “least interesting” shape-wise but the most interesting pattern-wise. A helpful little tip in mixing solids and patterns when you’re trying to style. But of course, all the styling credit goes to Bowser:) Oh, and that wooden sculpture used to be Emily’s, which I got in our LA prop garage shopping spree she let us do before moving to Portland. It may be a little beat up, but I think it’s so cool and interesting.

Ok, before we move on, I have to talk about that painting. I saw a version of it on Facebook Marketplace, and after a couple of weeks, while Bowser was over, I asked her for her thoughts, and she told me to get it. Done. I messaged the seller, and to my disappointment, the piece had already been sold. But then she told me she could make me another one, and in under a week! I was thrilled since I didn’t realize that she was the actual artist. Cut to my being in a rough headspace due to yet another horrible piece of government news, but heading over to pick it up. The artist was Utharaa Zacharias, who is half of the design studio Soft Geometry! In case you don’t know them, she and her partner, Palaash Chaudhary, design beautiful furniture, lighting, and objects. Initially, and not realizing who she/they were at first, I asked if she had any desire to be linked on a design site since the piece would be published in my room reveal. She asked which site, and when I said Emily Henderson, her response was “Wait, are you serious?” to which I smiled and said, “Yes.” It was then she told me that they were Soft Geometry. Then it was my turn to say, “Wait, are YOU serious?” I felt so silly not putting the pieces together before meeting in person. I am a big fan and now can’t believe that this wonderful painting that I loved and was excited to put on my wall, regardless of who painted it, has this really special story attached to it. So while Utharaa paints more for fun than anything else, the texture, colors, and details are more than I could have asked for. Not that anything I was upset about was fixed that day, but I was quickly reminded that connecting with people will always help to fill you up.

This might be one of my favorite shots. I have to fight the urge to tell the story of each individual piece. But I’m of course going to call out a few. You might remember that green, patterned pillow from a bedroom mood board post I recently did. Well, once I got the main bedspread, it was an “Oh, no.” It simply did not work. I did a little pivot, and as you can see, she lives happily in the living room.

The pink wall-mounted book holders I first saw 4 years ago, and knew I needed them in my home. So once the shelf idea was in the works, I reached out to the company to see if I could order them. The brand is &Jacob, out of Mexico City, and they are the best people. Back to that first trip I mentioned earlier, I thought they had a store, so my friend and I made the walk over. Well, it was definitely a private showroom (good one, Jess), but they welcomed us in anyway, we got to see some of their production process, and were even able to buy a few things. I didn’t buy them that day, but I was able to easily reach out to one of the people we met. When I look at them, they remind me of that trip, of that fun experience, and of one of my favorite places. Plus, they call to the pink curtains on the other side of the room for balance.

This shot is just a little more pulled back, so you can see how the “office” and the living room talk to each other. Oh, and that stool was a Zara Home find! But the plant and wire planter are from the Rose Bowl. Bowser was kind enough to help me pick the right plants. And y’all, you’d be so proud of how well I’m taking care of it. We were told it’s 20 years old, and you bet I’m doing everything I can to keep it healthy.

That book with the big “B” was a gift from Em years ago, and it’s kinda perfect there, huh? In this house, B is for Barcelona and for Bunge:)

Oh, my dear, dear fireplace. Those candles were such a good find because non-working fireplaces are not easy to style well. There are lots of ideas out there, but none of them really felt right for this room. As you can see, I have a lot of little things everywhere. So if I had added a bunch of small candles, it would have been A LOT. I needed something larger. Scale is so important. I then found these big guys, and I knew they were much more of what I was looking for.

A fun little tidbit about that target art. I found it on Chairish for my last place for $30, but it was in a spot that didn’t get photographed. I then saw the same one in a room in an Elle Decor magazine, which oddly felt very validating. I even clipped it out and added it to my vision board that year as a “Jess, you’ve got this. Stop doubting yourself so much. You have chosen art that was good enough for Elle Decor” reminder lol. And look, do I love it’s a rifle target? Not even a little. But it has such a different meaning to me that I’ve gotten over it.

The tray was from my Paris trip with my dad, the candelabra was $6 at a consignment shop in Chicago, and is something I would save in a fire. All of the art was also in my last place!

Polka Dot Tray (similar) | Black Wood Dish (similar) | Round Pillow

Another favorite shot! And see how good the sofa looks after a few years of use?? I do have to admit that the round pillow and blanket are Bowser’s, but the pillow is still available, so naturally, I bought it as soon as she left. The green table was also in my last place and was a crazy Les Bunge thrift store find! He bought it for $60, and then shortly after, I saw the same one online for $600!! He gifted it to me because I loved it so much, and I promise it was before I knew the real value.

For the art, those prints were also from Zara Home a while back, and the frames were from Amazon. I put them up pretty early on and instantly loved how they looked. But it took me much longer to decide what to put next to them. I didn’t want to leave the space empty, but I also didn’t want a visually overwhelming gallery wall. So I figured out a DIY piece I didn’t fail at!

I had been seeing these types of photo collages on Pinterest and was absolutely obsessed. And since I had so many old photos of my parents and extended family, I decided to create my own piece. I found this frame for $20 on Craigslist with no glass or back. But for $20, I was willing to take the risk, and I’m happy to say it paid off.

Oh, and that gold box on the wall is also from Paris and is an antique footwarmer. It’s covering my not-so-beautiful thermostat and a nonworking light switch, but don’t worry, it’s very easy to remove when I need to use the heat:)

I then went to a local glass place after calling a few other places for quotes and was able to get the glass and installation for $90. The trickier piece to find in the size I wanted was the mat. The largest piece I could find that didn’t need to be custom was 40″x50″, which I got from a local framer for maybe $50? Thank you, Quick Frames! While I didn’t exactly have a choice without spending an unnecessary amount of money on a custom size, I really love that the mat almost looks like it’s floating with the open space on the top and bottom.

There were just a few more things I needed, like a few wood pieces, tape, and a Kreg Pocket Hole Jig. All in, I spent under $200 for a giant piece of very meaningful art.

Next, I played with the configuration. For some context, my dad and his family are on the top row, and my mom and her side are under. They act as timelines, first just the grandparents, then photos with their parents, photos with siblings, young school photos, teenage photos, my parents “partying,” their wedding reception party (they eloped to Kauai), then finally my brother and me. I tried to match up the ages as best I could.

This was on the back of my mom’s “partying” photo, where her hand is up. I love the squiggly lines so much. What a dork:)

In case you were wondering this is what the back looked like. The Kreg Pocket Hole Jig is what gives you those angled holes. I felt invincible drilling those lol.

Here’s an even tighter shot. Julie actually first thought that the photo strip was of me and my cousin Becca, but it’s my mom and her sister. I smile thinking about that every time I look at it. So if it’s not clear, I highly recommend making one of these. It truly means so much to me.

My office! Here’s the original reveal. I did make a few changes, but overall it’s pretty much the same. First, I need to call out these amazing drapes again from Decorview. They make the room feel so happy and elevated. You can read more about my experience in the first post, but I love them just as much now as I did then. Next up, the lamp! That was another Paris find with my dad that is so dear to me. It’s Murano glass, has that wonderful striped pattern, like the one I borrowed for the first shoot, and it’s vintage. It’s never leaving me.

Now, the potential elephant in the room is that I no longer have that beautiful monitor. After needing to use my personal laptop to be able to use the monitor, it didn’t ultimately make the most sense. Emily provided me with that iMac, and since my job requires A LOT of storage space, I really didn’t want to use up all of my laptop’s space. While I miss the beauty of the old one, my best friend recently started her own business and needed a monitor, so it worked out perfectly. Another change is the brass bar on the desk in front of my chair. The rattan didn’t hold up as well as I’d hoped (they don’t even sell this version anymore). But I was able to buy that 3′ long bar for $52, drill some holes through the top, and attach it to the desk with no problems. Now you can’t even see the old damage!

White Chair (similar) | Pouf (similar) | Dinnerware

Aside from the fact that this desk was simply beautiful and the perfect size for the space, I also loved the idea of being able to use it as a dining table. You have to get creative with smaller space living, amirite? So Bowser set up this little dining look with all of my real dinnerware. I don’t use it this way a lot, but when I have, it’s been great. It’s great for a snacking table too:)

Man, these sliders are fun. Work to play and play to work!

And for the grand finale, here is the piece of furniture that almost caused my demise. She’s got quirks, but who doesn’t? All of my electronics are in there, and if it weren’t for T-molibe internet (#nonspon) and their plug-in any outlet router, who knows what kind of cord-filled mess my living room would be? The other side has, of course, more decor. Will it ever end? I kinda hope not.

As a self-proclaimed shape lover, this photo nearly makes me emotional. Just kidding. But from the circles of the bench/cabinet, to that utterly perfect checkered lamp of which I don’t think I’ll ever forget receiving as a surprise from Jayson Home. I still can’t believe it’s in my house, and I am so sad that it’s no longer available! Oh, and that piece of art was also from the gallery wall in my last apartment. I love it so much. Lastly, let’s talk about this woven roman shade. It is just so beautiful and adds so much texture and warmth. It is, of course, from Decorview as well. I really have to say that if you are able to afford custom window treatments (and check to see because you may be surprised), they simply provide the absolutely best customer service with the most beautiful products.

Oh, and since I know you were wondering, that little blue jar holds the quarters for my laundry:) Now, let’s see some before-and-after sliders before I officially let you go:

Top | Pants | Necklace | Bracelet with Pearl | Cape Cod Bracelet

It feels unbelievable to say that at the end of the week, I will be celebrating 9 years at EHD, and I still love it as much as I ever have. On top of that, I am so grateful and honored to share a piece of me with all of you again. We’ve been on a long journey together, and I’m not just talking about this over 5,000-word post. I promise my bedroom, coming at you Wednesday, will be for sure less than 4,000;)

I will also happily take any suggestions for what to call this style. Please and thank you.

Love you, mean it.

*Design by Jess Bunge (me!)
**Styled by Emily Bowser
**Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Farmhouse Living Room Update: The Sofas I Designed For The Space Are Here (And So Many Changes)

Emily — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000

I “finished” the living room over 2 years ago, and while I was never 100% happy with it, I couldn’t put my finger on what/why, and loved it enough (and we had to shoot it for a magazine, so yes, I might have chosen some things based on timing). Now I want to be clear – I know intellectually that it was super, super pretty and functionally it worked so well for our family, but all I can say is that I know when I nail a room and I wasn’t there YET with this one. Today, friends, we are getting so much closer, thanks to my new sofas arriving (and some surprise swivel chairs!). And I feel like I might even know the three things that I could change to get it to the 100% true love phase (which I feel for our sunroom, kitchen and family room – good design takes time).

My Alice Sofas!!!

Alice Sofas | Suz Swivel Chairs

I am in LOVE with these sofas, both visually and functionally. The arms are so pretty, the seat is cushy, the back curve is so elegant, and that darker green pops so well in here. I loved the two facing sofas in here, and our prior sofas from Lulu and Georgia were so comfortable, but the dogs lying on top of the back cushions made them almost unsittable unless I did the daily Herculean effort of taking off the back cushion and pushing, stomping, or jumping on it to make it a rectangle again. It was so annoying. I fixed them daily or avoided sitting on them altogether. So every morning since we’ve had these has been such a treat.

Wait, Do The Dogs Not Sit On There?

They sure do, but these sofas were designed as a tight back yet deep sofa, meaning it doesn’t need the two back pillows that come with it – they are optional. Since they are deeper, you might want the pillows, but they are so pretty without them (with throw pillows). As of now, we are using the back pillows but setting them flat on the sofa seat during the day while the dogs lie all over the sofas, and then they are so easy just to prop back up when ready to sit (they are small, lightweight pillows instead of one huge back cushion). I may end up not using them and just using throw pillows (which my dogs will also sit on), but I love the streamlined look in here.

If you are wondering why the sofa isn’t centered on the rug, I have a rambling reason for you. At first we shot this room with the Soho home chair (the blue velvet). The sofa and chair clearance was different. But Gretch was like, “Shouldn’t we just try the Suz chairs?” and we did, and they needed to be off the carpet (or fully on) since they are swivel. So we just forgot to center the sofa or move the rug!! You probably wouldn’t have noticed! But it’s driving me nuts 🙂

Coffee Table Vase | Wooden Tray

OH MY. How I love that shot. I joked a lot that it’s a very “Go Ducks” room (green and gold), but my team assured me that normal non-Oregon Duck-obsessed people wouldn’t think this. I think with all the blues and deep burgundies it doesn’t feel that way. I’m LOVING the Suz chairs in here, mostly because of the additional seating, how it feels more filled out, and the swivel is so fun. You can turn and look out into the backyard.

Striped Velvet Pillow | Throw Blanket | Striped Table Lamp

The Alice looks really firm, but it’s just streamlined with a lot of give. I know I’m biased, but I hope you trust me that I wouldn’t say something is super comfortable unless it was (I know you’d tell me!!). It’s not something you flop onto and sink 4″ into (like our Oscar), but it’s cushy and has a nice soft give. It’s perfect for our needs in here, which is mostly morning coffee with our laptops and lots of conversational hangs with our friends or games with our kids. But I assure you that if it were your TV sofa, you’d be so happy as well. It’s very comfortable, just looks more streamlined intentionally.

I’m really loving how they look in here. I LOVE this deep dark green in a super family-friendly velvet, especially with the darker coffee table. It just feels so rich. The dog’s hair sticks to it as much as the other velvet sofas, which is not very much (our dogs shed twice a year, but otherwise aren’t huge shedders; they are a huskie-poo mix). If you have heavy shedding dogs, the Alice also comes in a nice cream linen that has a lot of different tones to mask hair.

Tufted Pillow

The sofa is just so pretty and streamlined, but with that arm and leg that says, “I’m not boring, I’m special.” The roll on the arm gives it a slightly traditional look, but obviously not hyper traditional (not a tuft or carved wood).

Regarding the fireplace – I’m still not happy with how cold it looks, but you guys, I can NOT decide on what color to paint it!! My latest idea is to just wallpaper above the paneling and leave the fireplace white. My MIL got in my ear that painting it might feel too bold, like a big dark block in the middle of the room that would stop your eye in a bad way (I thought it would just look like a proper focal point). But I really do see her point and I fear she is right (also paint is just paint- like, Emily, JUST PAINT IT AND SEE, it would likely take one day!! ). But perhaps a soft wallpaper on the walls would help give it depth, texture and definition? I’ve ordered samples, and I can’t wait to belabor this for another 3 years.

Our Suz Chairs!!

Round Burgundy Pillows | Throw Blanket | Suz Swivel Chairs

Y’all. These chairs are so good. There are million swivel chairs on the market but these are special. Mal (on my team) designed them for Room Service, and they def have more of a regency vibe, which we love. They are deep and the seat is so comfortable. I put these round Schoolhouse dark burgundy pillows on them, which look pretty great, IMHO. And if you are wondering if you can have too much velvet in one room, we decided, collectively years ago, that “no, no you can’t.” It’s just so pretty and soft and therefore wins every time.

Throw Blanket

Which Chair Do You Like More???? Two Options…

Ok, so when we started shooting that day, we had the Soho home chair in here (above), and it looks really good (she’s a big lady). As you know, I love a really tight color palette (mostly so I can go nuts with my accessories), so this blue/green world works for me! Also, what you don’t see here is that I brought back the floral chaise in the corner (it looks way too dark/crowded in this angle, so we removed it for the sake of a better shot). I haven’t shot it yet (just ordered a rug for underneath it. But ANYWAY, that’s the blue chair version, and now check out the Ochre Suz swivel chairs option:

Ochre Swivel Suz Chairs

Suz Swivel Chair

GAH! When we looked at the laptop screen, after clicking the photo were like, “Whoa, this looks so much better”. Which we totally didn’t predict!! It’s just fuller, more balanced, looks like a better design.

Wait, What Are The Other Changes You Made??

Well, for you eagle-eyed readers (thank you!), you’ll notice that I swapped the midcentury cabinet and the French farmhouse cabinet, and my goodness, it’s so much better. The blue cabinet looked sad and grey over there and it gets way more light where it is now. And the richness of the midcentury teak piece is a much better backdrop to the green sofas and balances out the Suz chairs.

Striped Table Lamp

I DIY’d pleated lampshades!! Look at me! Of course, I did it on the weekend and didn’t shoot the process, but honestly, I just copied how Lone Fox did his and didn’t want to steal credit, so please watch his tutorial. It’s SO EASY. I used a stamped thin batik from Etsy that is so forgiving, meaning that these are not perfectly done at all, but you can’t tell. They don’t give as much light as the white shade, which we hope is fine in the winter, but meanwhile, I LOVE the more traditional pattern popping off the wall (but will make selecting a wallpaper slightly more challenging).

So, What Changes Do You Still Want To Make??

Ok here me out. Again, I recognize this is a great room but no, I have still not nailed it. Here is on my list to slowly tweak:

A Bigger Rug

This room always wanted a 12×15 rug. My RugsUSA collection didn’t come that big (I begged and begged and begged) and frankly very few rugs do. And I love a big Persian rug, but the colorway I want is so hard to find, and they aren’t nearly as cozy (and just so expensive). I sold my brother my OG 12×15 rug, which didn’t pop in here nearly as much as I wanted it to, and looks so much better in his house. A 12×15 rug would allow the full swivel chairs to be on it (we think). However, this current rug is the most cushy, comfortable, and forgiving rug on the planet (for being so light). I can’t link it because it was a one-off from the now-gone H.D. Buttercup, for $2k, which is not bad for a 10×14, but if I could link it, I would sell it all day, every day, because it’s famously the best rug I’ve ever had. I tried to recreate it with RugsUSA but they couldn’t figure out how to make it so cushy, to have so many different yarn colors, and stay within their standard price point. It’s like sitting on a cloud, and yet it doesn’t look like a shag (I also have a memory foam carpet pad underneath), and you can’t see any dog hair and barely even stains. So I’m hesitant to downgrade our comfort in the name of upgrading the design. But I’m so in love with this rug from Lulu and Georgia that does come in a 12×15, and I think could really punch up the room, so I might do it. We used it in my friend’s dining room, and it’s just an incredible colorway and pattern. It’s still forgiving but not as cushy (because no rug is, Brian and the kids are going to be so bummed if I change it). But then part of me is afraid of it being too bold. So Gretch mocked it up for you…

Lulu and Georgia Rug

I also ordered a sample (3×5) of this rug (Arvin’s denim rug from his old collection) to see if it would do the trick and not add the busyness of the above pattern. It’s such a pretty color in person, but it’s a magnet for our dog fur, so I don’t think we can do it (but I was impressed with the color/texture). I bought the round version in camel for underneath the chaise since our dogs don’t really lay there (I’ll show you soon).

Adding Wallpaper Above The Paneling

Raphael Wallpaper

If I could go back in time I would put the white/cream rafael wallpaper in here instead of the entry. Brian gave it a hard no at the time, which I didn’t understand then, but I kinda wish I had just steamrolled it. I know that it’s a popular paper, but it’s PERFECT for what I want (which is to still keep it light and airy, but give the walls some sort of definition). Remember that the room as a whole has so many openings/doorways/panelings that going high contrast would be SO BUSY, you have to trust me. Part of me says just put it up in here and re-paper the entry with something more bold since that tiny room can handle it. But I’ve ordered some more samples of subtle patterns that could work. Stay tuned.

Other Options: Darker Curtains Or Paint The Fireplace

Listen, I went safe with the curtains but they are custom and I really don’t want to replace them. They are really pretty, high quality, and nothing is wrong with them. But I wasn’t as in love with florals and tapestries as much as I am now, so if I could snap my fingers and have a patterned curtain/shade situation, I would, but for now I’m really trying to make the room work without changing them. For the fireplace, I really do want to do something to it, even if we redo the mantel. After we tiled Kaitlin’s fireplace, and it became such an incredible focal point, I got really jealous. I want this fireplace to be prettier, full stop. Oh, and I want to frame that painting on the mantel to be bigger and in a better frame, and hang it instead of leaning it.

Furniture To Add/Swap

I brought back in the chaise lounge where the blue demilune table is in these photos, and LOVE IT. Will shoot/show you soon. I want a prettier cabinet where the midcentury one is (I like that piece, but found it on FBMP the weekend before the shoot). And I want to add a footstool for the swivel chairs (thinking of this one) as well as a prettier fireplace screen (our opening is huge, so it’s hard to find one that fits).

OMG. This has been quite the ramble. This room has been hard! It’s a pass-through room, open to three other rooms with multiple focal points, and needs to be highly functional (dining nook and lots of seating), so it’s just hard to nail. Its so lovely to be in right now, thus the lack of urgency but every weekend I spend hours thinking about it while I drink my coffee 🙂

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

Revealing My Brother’s Ultra Cozy Family Room (And The Most Comfortable Green Sectional)

Emily — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +0000

REVEAL DAYS ARE MY FAVORITE DAYS. While the magazine (Better Homes and Gardens) is about to hit newsstands (revealing four of my favorite rooms in my brother’s house that you haven’t seen yet), this room wasn’t done in time to shoot, so I get to actually reveal it earlier (and hopefully get you excited for the rest coming soon). You see, the sectional we had in here a couple of months ago was one of ours, a sample of The Bennett that wasn’t ready for me to approve at the Texas factory, so I had to wait to approve it in Portland. Then once I sat on it, I knew it had to be tweaked. So we reworked it to make it way better, got the new one, and finally finished styling this cozy family room for my brother and his fam. This room is a cozy green cave, proving that green can be so warm when mixed with warmer tones. Let me prove it to you…

Our U-Shaped Sectional – The Bennett

Introducing my first U-shaped sectional, and it’s a pretty great one. I’m equally obsessed and proud. It’s a one-and-done piece of furniture, which isn’t that easy to shoehorn into a room you might already have other pieces for, but if you are designing from scratch or rethinking it’s a great way to keep a TV/family room feeling simple and yet so comfortable. Plus, you’re able to sit so many people. We originally designed this room with the cub velvet sectional, but when I redesigned the sectional it they didn’t have that fabric in stock so they did it in one of the other fabrics we were carrying it in, “evergreen” which is a green linen blend (poly blend and really, really soft) and once I saw it at the factory I said “ship it on up”. I actually think this fabric is better for their family, a bit more forgiving with dog hair, as it has more thread variation. And again, for a linen blend, it’s super soft and cushy (not stiff at all).

The proportions of it are so generous, as you can see – my brother is a big guy! We actually redesigned the original Bennett to make sure that the middle seat depth was ample so that no one got the shaft. The seat cushions are cushy but not sloppy (medium plush), and the back cushions are really easy to sink against, but made out of a foam combination, so they won’t just get smooshed down and deformed. The arms are wide and solid – it just feels so good when you flop into any of these seats. You feel comfortable and supported (isn’t that what we want out of most people/things in our life??). I might add this to the line as just a chaise sectional, as I know that a lot of people might not have the right room for a huge U-shaped gentleman.

The Paint Color + Vibe

Wall Color | Roman Shade | Pollack Bench Fabric

This room was kinda inspired by our family room – dark, tonal, cozy, and contained (you can close the door to the mess). We painted it Evergreen Fog by Sherwin-Williams, which is truly incredible – so cozy in the dark and extremely soft and beautiful with a lot of natural light. I became obsessed with this color after it was painted in here – I wanted everyone to come over and experience it (Warning: in Brian’s small writing office with only one tiny window, it looked sad for whatever reason, so you still have to sample it!) Of course, the OG sofa was meant to be this warm brown velvet, but we all agree that this looks incredible in here as well, and the green on green on green works really well to keep it all calm and un-busy.

We accented the green with this super warm dark burgundy that is almost aubergine, and many hits of ochre and mustard, which pick up on the tones of the wood flooring, doors, and built-ins. I’m pretty dang obsessed with this color palette – it’s just so warm and balanced, and holistically looks fantastic in the entire house.

I LOVE that this MaryAnn Puls piece made it in such a prominent place in their house. We had it in their guest room when we revealed it, but no one saw it, and it obviously works even better in here. I love it over that AllModern piece, which adds a nice, deep, darker wood tone (that works with the table/chairs in the opposite corner). The squiggle ceramics is by Virginia Sin (I bought second hand somewhere, but LOVE).

Their kids (7 and 10) still play some on the floor and craft in the corner, but there is plenty of room for that and this incredibly big sectional for TV watching. They wanted two cuddle corners (which fit one adult and one kid), and the proportions of this are big and really comfortable for whoever sits in the middle as well.

The Curtains And Shades

That big window is western-facing, so it gets pretty sunny in the afternoon (and into the evening in the summer), so we knew we’d need blackout curtains. We worked with Decorview again, showcasing their drapery on the huge window and motorized roman shades on the flanking windows. We chose this dark green, almost black, which we loved with the wall color and all the hits of black in the room.

Chandelier

Note that the curtains are hung high and wide, making the room look taller and bigger, even though they are dark. Now, a warning – we really, really wanted dark curtains in here, but we were warned that the edges might fade due to the sun. We chose a linen poly blend for this reason, but over the years, there is still the chance that these dark curtains could fade just on the edges.

The TV And Built-In Cabinet

The sectional is centered on the Samsung Frame TV (an 85″ for scale), and we had these simple cabinets designed and installed underneath it (and painted a darker green). There is still enough room to walk in front of the sofa and play. The cabinet houses their media, board games, bins of crafting/toys, and drawing.

The dark green is Foxhall Green from Sherwin-Williams, and it kept the room still tonal, but added depth and contrast in a non-busy way. The handles are stained black wood from Etsy.

The Game/Homework Table

We wanted to create this little corner where they could do arts and crafts, color, play a game, etc. They had this chess set on their dining table, so we styled it in here, which admittedly looks awesome (if not pretentious, lol). We had ordered 8 chairs for their dining table for when they have people over, but they only need 6, so they put two in here, and they look pretty great.

The velvet bench fabric is from Pollack, and it’s just so pretty and soft, with texture and a subtle pattern. I found the three paintings from Purl (a local artist and maker who I’m a huge fan of – he made our coffee table, corbels, and the large pencil and paintbrush that we love). They feel vintage, are moody, and color-wise, they are just perfect in here.

Wall Mirror

We balanced out the three paintings with this beautiful mirror from Anthropologie that reflected the light really nicely and rounded out the vignette. Again, the hits of this darker wood really pulled in the richer dark red tones of the fabrics and added a lot of depth.

“Before” and after slider time!

The room turned out really inviting, layered, comfortable, warm, and still design-forward. I personally love a darker TV/family room, especially if it’s one that can be closed off (not open to the rest of the home). It just feels like its own experience when you walk in, and yet the colors and style match the home (warm contemporary). I hope you like it!

Family Room Resources:
Wall Color by Sherwin-Williams
Media Cabinetry Color by Sherwin-Williams
Flooring by Stuga
Bench Fabric by Pollack
Window Drapery and Hardware by Decorview
Windows by Marvin Windows and Doors
Scones and Chandelier by Rejuvenation
Sectional by Room Service by Emily Henderson:)

MOTO REVEAL: How Mallory Made Her Boring Living Room Feel Homey In Just One Month

Mallory Wackerman — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Welcome to my new apartment!! You last saw my 500 sqft studio in Hollywood, and now you’re entering my 2-bed 1950s Los Feliz pad. This apartment has been in my friend group for about 4 years, and we just keep passing it down to each other because it has a ton of perks: it’s rent-stabilized, month-to-month, and in the perfect location (super walkable to all the fun restaurants here and my friends just down the street). The only issue?? It’s super old and run down, but it has incredibly charming vintage tile in the kitchen/bathrooms and SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I moved in here in June 2024 and had pretty much nothing in terms of furniture (I sold/donated most of it after a cross-country move and a ~dramatic~ breakup) but our friends had graciously left some hand-me-down pieces so it was liveable and then in June 2025 the AllModern angels came down from the heavens and asked us to partner on a 1-month living room makeover which was a challenge I was very much ready for!! I’m SO thrilled to show you the reveal today after a wild few weeks – but first, let me take you back to where we started. Here’s what the space looked like when I moved in:

The living room isn’t giant, but coming from a studio apartment, it felt huge to me (and it’s open to the dining room behind it, so it’s pretty long and narrow). As I said before, this apartment is super charming, but the living room is definitely the space with the least amount of charm architecturally, plus the fugly brown wall color wasn’t helping – that’s for sure. So yeah, I didn’t have much when we started, but here’s what I did have: original flooring, a big window that let in a lot of natural light, and a dream.

I knew the design direction of this apartment pretty much right away, and it was this: imagine a grandma that’s single and ready to mingle – she has some antiques and maybe Papa’s old sitting chair, but she’s kinda edgy and trendy for a grandma…and she’s ready to get back out on the town and get frisky. I wanted that energy mixed with clean modern lines and a touch of vintage Los Feliz, since that’s where we are after all. I love doing research on the area I’m in when I start a project, and then I like to pull elements of the history into my design plan. For example, there was a classic old Hollywood restaurant called the Brown Derby in Los Feliz in the 1940s (around the time this apartment was built). It was where all the MGM movie stars used to visit, and if you want a really fun fact, it’s where the Cobb salad was invented. It was a place where they had a wall of caricatures of all the famous celebrities that would visit, and the interior had so many classic elements I wanted to pull into the space. So we did the one thing that college frat houses and interior design firms have in common: we named the house. Ladies and gents, welcome to “The Brown Derby.”

It’s crazy to think this room all really came together in 1 month. Prior to starting the living room makeover, I had only made a few small upgrades to the space to make it more liveable – painted the walls white, added new curtains, and then my roommate and I found that gorgeous Baldwin piano for $175 at a thrift store (shoutout society of St. Vincent de Paul) so that was about all we had in here when we started decorating a month ago. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’ve prioritized decorating some the other rooms in my apartment before decorating this living room (and stay tuned because you’ll also be seeing the reveals of those other rooms over here on the blog in the next few weeks), so this living space really was a total blank slate just a mere few weeks ago.

Then, when AllModern reached out, I started pursuing their website and immediately fell in LOVE with this incredible Rosso Levanto marble coffee table – it became the jumping off point for the entire room.

It looks PERFECT in the space – and how cute is that little ball ottoman?! Because the coffee table is such a statement, I wanted a sofa that was a bit more neutral, so I went with this one. It has a great depth to it, and I love the wide arms, plus the fabric is unbelievably soft. It’s a great napping/guest sleeping on the couch kind of sofa – it’s a bit on the firmer/supportive side, but it breaks in well, and while it’s modular, it has clips that attach so it actually stays together. The entrance to my front door has a tight turn that won’t fit a single bench seat sofa – so this modular option was perfect for me!

For the rug, I went with this tonal rust/brown wool 9×12, which is perfect because this living room is super high traffic since it’s a pass-through space. It’s the room you walk into when you enter through the front door. So the rug definitely needed to be durable and mid-toned. It leans a little more brownish red in dark lighting and a bit more rust in bright lighting and has just enough variation to not show stains (which is also great because we entertain a ton). Also, that floor lamp is so pretty, solid, and dimmable. It’s so perfect in this space!

Coffee Table

Here’s a closer shot of the coffee table so you can see just how stunning that marble is. FYI, it’s HEAVY and amazing quality – it gets delivered in 3 pieces, so you can take it apart if you need to move it, which is super nice. Also…anyone notice The Brown Derby book?? I spent forever looking for this cigar box but it was too expensive and rare, so I went with the book and some vintage Brown Derby postcards I found on eBay for a little touch of Los Feliz Brown Derby history. The postcards are in my dining room (which again, you’ll be seeing super soon!)

I said it once, but I’ll say it again since this photo really does it justice – doesn’t that sofa fabric look soft?! BECAUSE IT IS SO SOFT. I also love the modern lines of that side table and how it contrasts with the vintage pieces in the room. Also anyone recognize those candle sconces?? I had them in my studio apartment, and they came to New York and back when I moved because I love them that much. Originally, I had planned to put up a gallery wall above this sofa, so I collected a ton of art, but then, when I started hanging it, we all agreed something just felt off. Also, functionally, the back of this sofa is on the lower side, so it’s nice to be able to lie your head against the wall, which you couldn’t do with a ton of frames there. So at the last minute, I found this amazing tapestry and had it express delivered to get here in time for the shoot! I was SO RELIEVED when I put it up and it looked this good – large art can be hard to find without selling off your firstborn child to pay for it, and this one is pretty reasonably priced in my opinion.

Now it’s time for you to meet my roommate, Jade! There is nothing quite like living with a roommate who becomes a best friend. We already knew each other before we started living together and had similar life paths – we both grew up in OC, both went to LMU for college, and both broke up with our boyfriends of 7 years around the same time – so we were in really similar places in life when I moved in. But we’ve already grown so much in this apartment, and what used to feel like an “in-between phase apartment” now feels like a home, and that’s not just because of the beautiful decor and furnishings (although that has helped A LOT). It’s also a home because this roommate vibe is one I’ve never had before. We have tickets in the front row for each other’s peak career successes and utter failures. We’ve processed big feelings together from past experiences, and we’ve been side by side and championing each other when we found new relationships with men who treat us the way we’ve always deserved but never expected. I’ll never take for granted how amazing female friendships are and how special it is for us right now to walk into the next room over when one of us needs a good cry or if just wants to throw on “A Cinderella Story” and quote every line. It’s a time in life that a lot of people rush through to get to the “buy a house and get married phase,” which don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for that too – but right now I’m just happy to have some of my best gal pals close by and the incredible support system that this place has brought me.

Speaking of these gal pals – they’re in for a real treat because the Bachelor/Love Island watch parties just got a whole lot better. Let’s turn our attention to the DIY media center, shall we?

I wrote a whole post on this if you want every detail – but here’s the gist. This media center/bookcase situation was a labor of love and took a village. I found this ready-made bookcase online for $360 (it was on clearance so it’s out of stock now – I’m sorry!!), which was an insane price for how huge it was – the only problem was that I didn’t love the grey color it was originally, and I wished it had trim/was enclosed on top to make it look more like a built-in. I added it to cart anyway since it was on clearance and decided I would DIY it to make it look custom (for even less than an IKEA hack). My amazing boyfriend (and my personal TaskRabbit), Austin, built it, and it surprisingly didn’t take too long (maybe 3 hours at most). I paid Aus in pasta salad and tipped him well ;). Note that he’s also really good at building things (which is why I bought him this shirt), so it might take the average human a bit longer.

Then I painted it and enlisted my parents to bring up their circular saw and help me install the moulding (and that was a thing for sure). I paid them in margaritas for their troubles. I had extra wood crown moulding around, but the learning lesson was definitely to use a foam moulding if you can, because wood is definitely not as easy to work with – again, full details are in this post if you want to see the cost breakdown and all the details!

The bookcase also came with glass doors, and while I love the closed storage, I didn’t love being able to see everything inside of it. So I found these thin perforated metal sheets and attached them to the insides of the doors, and voila! It’s a much cleaner look and made the bookcase look way more custom.

Leather Chair | Rug | Drink Table | Black Bowl | Silhouette Art Frames

Ah, there’s “Papa’s chair”. I absolutely loved the joinery on this leather accent chair – it has the prettiest details. Then I added a vintage magazine rack next to it (to hold more records, cause we have a lot) and this slim, modern end table to set down a drink. I tied it all in by adding hits of black on the bookcase, like that awesome, sleek modern bowl that would look good anywhere. That art piece is an original I got for $250 by an artist named Mucci, who I found at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach (truly a sleeper hit for art, you guys). It’s a sketch of the corner of Sunset and Maltman in Silver Lake, just down the road from me.

I also made little silhouettes of my roommate and I by taking iPhone photos of our face profiles, and then I put them into Photoshop, cut them out and and did a color overlay in black (see the whole process on Instagram here). Then I put them in these little $15 frames, and they make me laugh so hard – definitely the grandma moment the space needed. Behind those, you’ll find my coat closet turned speakeasy, which we also photographed, so I’ll be doing a full post on that soon too 🙂

Tall Ceramic Vase | Lamp

I had my handyman/lover drill a hole in the shelf for that cute little lamp with a drill attachment he had, and then that Abraham Lincoln bookend was hand-gold-plated a while ago by my 94-year-old grandma – another grandma touch from my actual grandmother, who is just the best. The art on the top shelf is Jade’s childhood home that her boyfriend hand-drew – it was too sweet not to frame and put up here front and center. Then, below it is a piece Em gave me years ago by MaryAnn Puls, layered with a family photo of Jade and I from an epic night at the Soho House. On the right is a detailed shot of our gorgeous piano (which has the cutest subtle diamond pattern on the music stand!), and those candles are from Pierce and Ward’s amazing storefront on Hillhurst in Los Feliz.

Leather Chair | Rug | Drink Table | Dining Chairs | Mirror

This is a peek at the dining room for context (the one that we photographed and will be giving you a tour of soon!)

I cannot thank you guys enough for reading, following, and supporting! HUGE thank you to AllModern for sponsoring this makeover – I could not love their products more, so if you’re in the market for some amazing pieces that can get there fast (like fast enough to finish your living room in 1 month fast), I definitely recommend checking them out xx

*Design by Mallory Wackerman
**Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Revisiting A 2013 Project, DesignLoveFest’s Apartment (+ What I Think About It Now)

Emily — Mon, 05 May 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In our grown-up pursuit of “timelessness” (which gets more intense as we get older), it sure is fun to see a time capsule of our youth. The year was clearly 2013, and two “internet famous” bloggers collabbed on what now feels like OG vintage influencer content. When I stumbled on Bri Emery’s apartment from 2013, I gasped and then wanted to gossip about it with you. So much to talk about. It still pops so hard and is full of pieces that I love, while also just screaming “2010’s blogger time capsule”. It’s a real lesson in where to bring in trends as well as demonstrating the power of vintage and color. This was my last “blogger collab,” where I designed/styled famous blogger’s homes (who would be called influencers now) to cross promote, garner press, more followers, etc (I decorated Cup of Jo’s apartment, Oh Joy’s (multiple times), Nicolette Mason and then Bri Emery, aka DesignLoveFest, Green Wedding Shoes nursery, and many more). Bri redesigned our website (which has since been redesigned and is DESPERATE for a new redesign – coming soon, I hope), and I designed/styled her living and dining room. If you want to read the original post, check it out -it’s a funny read.

That’s Bri, aka DesignLoveFest, and if you haven’t seen her new kitchen in upstate New York, you MUST. She, like most OG design/style bloggers, made a lot of life shifts, and after taking a long creative/personal sabbatical from social media, she is posting again and collaborating with other old friends (which is so fun to watch on stories). She has always been wildly creative and such a visionary, so I’ll follow her forever. I dream of doing a “Bloggers: Where Are They Now” series because most of the OG crew that really took off in the 2010s, have changed careers and are thriving in such different and interesting ways (I think like 10 of us are still here, spoiler – social media caused burn out really fast). That’s a whole other story, but today let’s look at Bri’s 2013 apartment transformation:

I swear we didn’t try to take low-light befores back then… But here’s the super bright after! LOL

My first gut reaction: this room is undeniably still so fun. If I walked into this apartment now, I would think this person has so much style and creativity, an eclectic, even eccentric, point of view, and we are about to have fun. And then, of course, I’d want to edit it a bit, tweak it for 2025. So let’s talk through the main trends that were big then:

2013 Trend #1: Bright White With Pops Of Bright Colors

I was so guilty of this, doing it over and over in that decade (and still am!). The formula: all white walls, big pops of color, drenched in natural light. And the thing is, this still really works in Southern California. Of course, now we’d do a warmer neutral, and employ darker, more subtle greens and lots of muted pinks. Heck, my brother and SIL wanted a version of that in their bedroom (see here). I think for the most part it works, it’s just some of the colors here that make it feel a bit 2013. I would definitely get rid of that scalloped pillow on the sofa and reduce the amount of hot pink (the vintage ottoman could be more of a neutral).

2013 Trend #2: Fig Trees And Whimsical Plants Galore (In Whimsical Pots!)

Again, I still like fig trees, but my goodness, they were EVERYWHERE in the 2010s (mostly because of me, I think – remember DesignStar?), so I really don’t think we needed two here. And while having plants galore is more popular than ever, I don’t think doing it like this is working. I think it’s just a bit messy, the pots are a bit eclectic, and it feels generally over the top. If I could do it again, I’d do one big fig tree and a smaller green plant on the coffee table. Also, not sure we need a decorative piñata…

2013 Trend #3 Palm Springs Style Mid-Century Vintage Everything In Bright Colors

Again, I don’t mind this trend!! Mid-century is never out, and I don’t think that there is too much of it here. It’s just combined with the big saturated colors and the Moroccan rug and brass that make all the pieces feel 2013. But yes, in the 2010s, before any of us had a budget to buy investment pieces from adult stores, we bought anything from the Rose Bowl flea market, which was full of midcentury vintage from Palm Springs. None of these are dated; it’s just within the context of so much stuff and bright colors that it screams 2013.

What’s Not Working?? What Would I Get Rid Of?

That’s pretty easy – the black chair with the more Navajo-inspired woven pattern feels like we were trying hard to dip into that next trend (I’m not sure what to call it, I apologize if I’m not accurate here). At the time were really seeing the rise of African mudcloth and Aztec-style prints, and now we know better and to never buy them in a mass-produced fashion. Purchasing from the actual people whose culture these textiles belong to should always be a priority, like with my Boro fabrics. I do like the idea of the pattern, but it belongs somewhere with less bright, saturated colors or trendy pieces. I’d also nix the gold drum table (very 2013), and I’d reduce the amount of stuff by 1/3rd AT LEAST. And I really, really don’t like that colorful pillow on the sofa.

I think this was during my “miniatures” phase that I’ve never really grown out of, TBH, but I don’t force it on my friends as much now. Those flowers are WAY too big and busy in here, IMHO.

I still love those vintage lamps and would use them in the right project now. The art was from the flea market, and the Blu Dot table is so simple that it’s hard to call it in or out, but the collective vignette just feels very 2013 due to the color palette. Now I’d change the drum shades to be more tapered or pleated (or a color).

Nothing really dated here except all my EHD vintage whimsy, which I still love, but it’s a younger version of me. That lamp is still pretty darn cute.

The midcentury shelving unit is rad still, just needs to be styled with less stuff and with more grounding colors (i.e. less teal and yellow). So many plants shoved in this shot!!!

I really think the culprit here is mostly just the accessories and the styling, both of which were obviously 100% on me. And in a lot of ways, that is refreshing because those are the things that are less of an investment and easier to change.

I still really like this!!! It’s just a bit too much, too many small trends that inevitably read as 2013, and too much “stuff”. But those are almost all in the smaller pieces and would be so easy to tweak to make them work.

It’s visually so fun and stimulating,g so while it seems like I’m tearing my own work apart, it’s actually really easy to see that with a few tweaks it could feel 2025 really easily.

We kept with the same styles and colors in the dining room – that vintage dining set is still so rad, and Mid-century teak is having a big comeback right now, so do NOT sell your stuff, people.

Besides me holding the plant hostage in that cage, I think most of this works, but maybe just too much altogether.

The Brendan Ravennhill light fixture had just launched, and Max Wanger’s photography was so popular (they both pioneered a LOT of copycats).

hi, bri!

While I wouldn’t go back to 2013 Emily, I think this room actually has a lot of timelessness.

The Lessons In Trends And Timelessness:

You will not be able to avoid leaning into some trendy design elements if you are super into design (no one is immune to the zeitgeist), but if you want to avoid looking dated, buy the high quality version of it or just do it in accessories that aren’t as much of an investment to change out. I think the squiggle or amorphous shapes are great current examples – bring them in in limited amounts to avoid looking dated real fast.
Bright colors will always be more likely to be “dated”, but that doesn’t mean we should avoid what we love right now. Will they call 2022 the year of dark moody green everything? Yep! But I don’t know how you avoid any color trends without just being so boring. Will warm pinks, browns, and burgundies also be less exciting in 10 years? Probably, but again, there is no such thing as timeless colors, and for the most part, there is a way to make them still work with styling. A well-designed room with high-quality materials done in a balanced way will likely still be very pretty in 20 years. Sure, there are some navy blue tones that feel fresher than others, but for the most part, blues, greens, and neutrals are timeless (coming from someone who has and will always love blues and greens, so I’m very biased). Although if you live in Texas or Arizona it’s likely warmer tones that feel timeless there. It’s so nuanced, folks. Good luck! LOL.
Too much stuff can really overwhelm a room (and in this case, make it feel dated). I think this can be blamed on youth, especially when we are younger and we can’t afford the more expensive design elements, but we love to shop, we are drawn to smaller things that we love, because it’s what we can buy. Nothing wrong with this, but just know that displaying it all, on every surface, especially when they are all super eclectic, can just look a bit cuckoo. I had to learn this lesson over and over and over.
Authentic Vintage will always be in style – it’s just context, styling, and color combinations that can make the pieces look dated to the specific era that it “came back” in.

For the most part, I think that this room could be tweaked so fast to make it feel “in” right now – the main “dated” culprits are in the accessorizing, which feels pretty harmless to me. Thoughts????

**Design by Emily Henderson (me!)
*Photos by Laure Joliet

Can This Old Leather Sofa Be Brought Back To Life? We Tested Two Products To Find Out

Gretchen Raguse — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Hello, friends! Gretch here. It’s been a while since I’ve taken you inside my apartment, and admittedly, you won’t see much of it in this post. But we’ve got a new friend in the mix, and just like me, she could probably benefit from a little cosmetic work! This little leather beauty here is what you might call a “hand-me-down”, but to me, she’s an absolute treasure!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted a leather sofa. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a house with one (identical in color, too) and I’m a sucker for nostalgia. A sleek, leather seat is also very “cool girl” in my eyes–a sofa you might find in a real city girl’s loft apartment. And there’s just something so nice about its buttery texture and wipe-ability. In a lot of ways, leather really gets better with age…with proper care, of course!

A brief origin story–if you don’t recognize the sofa, you may recognize this room! This is our photographer, Kaitlin Green’s living room. And this cutie sofa that is now mine was once hers. For 10 years! She and her husband bought it brand new from West Elm for their first place (and yes, it is still available). It was one of the first bigger purchases they made together. A special one. Over the years, this sofa saw lots of love: friends coming over to watch the game, a shared bottle of wine, or cuddles with their pup, Remy. Eventually, even more snuggles (and maybe a few stains too) came along with the addition of their two daughters.

photo by kaitlin green | from: kailtin’s living room reveal

They really treasured it–something I think we should all strive for when it comes to picking out the pieces for our homes! And for being 10 years old, she really ain’t looking too bad. But there comes a time to invite in some newness and when we re-did Kaitlin’s living room, she was generous enough to pass this sofa on to me.

But if you too have inherited or found a piece of leather furniture that could use a lifeline, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve watched enough YouTube tutorials to predict that with a few affordable products, I could more than likely bring this baby back to life. Or at least give her a little boost. I haven’t done this before so I wasn’t sure which leather cleaner/conditioner solution would be the best to use, and there are quite a few on the market. So today I’m putting two of them to the test.

Here’s our starting point. The leather looks and feels quite dry, but thankfully, there are no rips or tears. A few minor stains here and there, but honestly, I have been living with it in this state for a while now and it could be way worse. While the center seat cushion definitely looks the roughest, I left it untouched until the end of my rigorous testing to see which of the two products worked better to finish the job. Also big shout-out to Marlee for helping me do this and taking all the photos!

We tested out two products. On the right top and bottom cushions, we used Leather Honey’s cleaner and conditioner. And on the left, we went with Lexol’s cleaner and conditioner combo. Both of these came highly rated, but I will go ahead and spoil it for you–there was a clear winner in my eyes.

It was a super easy process if you want to see it in action (the video will play after a couple of quick ads)

Step One: Cleaning

We went in with the cleaning solutions first (obviously) and a couple of microfiber cloths, like the instructions said. Right off the bat, I will say, you’re probably better off using a white microfiber cloth if you’re gonna do this. I imagine you’d see all kinds of satisfying grime coming off onto your rag, but I only had these gray ones, and with both of the products, I couldn’t really tell what it was doing in terms of cleaning.

Lexol’s cleaner said to pour a small amount onto the rag and rub it in. It applied smoothly and pretty evenly. Because my leather was pretty soft, less taut, it was a bit tricky to pull the rag across in a big sweeping motion without it bunching. But I was able to fully coat the seat. It said to wipe away the excess with a damp cloth, but the couch absorbed the product pretty quickly, so there was no real need for that.

Leather Honey’s cleaner worked about the same, but it had a spray bottle instead. It took a little longer to saturate the cloth enough to use. Again, I tried big sweeping motions and coated the cushion as best I could, but it was hard to tell if it was actually doing anything. With both of these products, I viewed them more as a “prep step” rather than essential to making the sofa come alive again. Both sides looked maybe a little more moisturized and even after cleaning, but it was an underwhelming step.

Step Two: Conditioning

But step two with the Lexol conditioner was a breeze! The product comes out kind of white, but goes on clear and is reallllllly easy to move around and buff into the leather. Again, I kept pouring little dollops onto the rag, rubbing it into the leather in circular motions until the whole cushion was coated. This product was super easy to use and was clearly adding some moisture back to the leather, getting me excited for the end results.

This is how it looked immediately after. It definitely evened out some of the leather’s discoloration (hard to say if that was from the cleaner, the conditioner, or both). But I was most impressed by how soft and smooth the leather was feeling after conditioning. Like butter! I didn’t notice any funky smell, and I can’t stress this enough, the product was REALLY easy to move around on the material.

But Leather Honey’s conditioner? Not so much. The instructions were virtually identical to Lexol’s: a small dab of product onto the rag, rub in until evenly coated. This one did mention that the product would work better if it was warmed up, and after going in with it straight out of the bottle and STRUGGLING, I did try zapping it in the microwave. It helped a little bit? Maybe? But this product really did feel and move like honey–sticky. It was thick and hard to wipe around the leather. I felt like I couldn’t get it to spread evenly because the product was clinging and soaking into the leather too fast. And the only way to combat that was to keep adding product.

Doing this side was genuinely a little scary because it was coming out SO dark. Like so dark. I for sure put on way too much, but also felt like I didn’t have a choice if I was to coat the cushion evenly, like it said. It felt splotchy and I was so worried it was going to permanently change the color of the leather…

Because just look at how dark it was!!! This was after coating each of the side cushions with just one layer of the conditioners. I was joking with Marlee that at this stage, it was really feeling like the Neapolitan ice cream of couches. The left side compared to the super dry middle seat and the perfectly buttered right seat? Insane.

The instructions should’ve said “remain calm and let it dry down” because here’s how it looked the next day. Way better! Phew! Now these are iPhone shots, so the coloring will look a bit different, but it was for sure lighter and more even-toned in person once it had the full 24 hours to dry.

BUT I will say, I think the Leather Honey did actually darken the leather a shade or two. Don’t love that!! It’s not so bad to me that it’s super noticeable, but the Lexol right cushion was definitely the winning solution. So much so that I decided to go ahead and clean/condition the super-dry center cushion with the Lexol combo to finish the job. That is the difference you see above. But let’s pull back a bit and see the full before and after:

Here’s where we started…

And here’s how she looks now! I don’t know about you, but I DEFINITELY notice a difference between these shots (and in person, for sure). Before, the sofa was just so crusty, looked quite wrinkled, and felt super dry. Now that the sofa cushions are fully conditioned (this was shot a week later), I can say I both feel and see a difference. Did it give me a brand new sofa? Not really. But I’m happy I did it and it was truly so easy, I think it’s something I’ll try to do every six months or so.

I think the Leather Honey would’ve worked better on a tighter leather upholstery, but it was the big loser here. I am however a BIG FAN of the Lexol combo, how it moved and how it transformed. I still have a ton left over for future applications, plus it’s the less expensive option! If you’ve got a piece of leather furniture, a car seat, or even a leather purse that needs a little lift, I really recommend giving Lexol a try! Let me know if you do and if you’ve got questions, I’ll do my best to answer them in the comments 🙂

Good Looking Reclining Sofas DO EXIST: Here’s What To Know About Them + 24 Of Our Favorites

Arlyn Hernandez — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 08:00:00 +0000

You know what’s fantastic in terms of design and furniture? When form meets function. I’m a huge fan of that. So when a friend of mine asked me recently if I could help her find a “not totally ugly” recliner sofa, I suited up and got to work. After all, I used to work for a company that sold recliner sofas you’d never be able to tell were just that (though sadly they no longer sell them, so I was back to the drawing board).

Recliner sofas and chairs, for that matter, are the kind of thing designers balk at because well, they look like a half risen tray of cinnamon rolls. As if someone decided long ago that “feet up” also had to mean lumpy, bumpy, and inexplicably curvaceous in all the worst ways. Like this:

Sitting on them though? Pretty okay. Once those tootsies go up and you get to sit back, you kind of forget about looks and only focus on comfort.

BUT WE CAN HAVE BOTH NOW!

According to this article from Yahoo Finance, the recliner sofa market is set to grow by almost $9 BILLION by 2028. That number is staggering, considering it feels like almost no one is buying these things anymore. Though maybe it only feels that way because so many mainstream companies are finally starting to offer recliner sofas with some actual design and style behind them that you really don’t know if someone is sporting a recliner in their living rooms until you see it in action.

Just take a look at this corner sectional by Sundays. You’d truly have no idea looking at it that it has three motion footrests and reclining backs. NO CLUE.

Some of them now have headrests that unfold to come up and support your noggin like the Jarron from Castley (left), but once you close them, they just look like normal sofa back pillows. You can even find some that look like the sofa at right from a company called Povison, with French seams a la Sixpenny.

I mean it’s kind of mind-blowing that the sofa on the left, by Hooker Furniture, turns into the one on the right at the click of a few buttons. What a time to be alive…(for furniture innovation, everything else is questionable).

Reclining Sofa FAQs

Speaking of buttons, there are some things you need to be aware of if considering a reclining sofa (also called power motion sofas, in case that helps you search for them during your research). Here’s what to know before buying one:

They are far more expensive than a traditional non-reclining sofa. Chances of finding a standard 3-seater sofa for under $2,000 is rare, and if you do, I’d be worried about the longevity and quality of it, TBH. I did find two under that price point, but they are at least from reputable brands/sites that likely carry some sort of warranty.
Most are electric now and need a power source, meaning, you’re going to need to have an outlet available. If you’re used to floating your sofa in the middle of your room, I hope you have a floor outlet.
Are you one of those people in #2 who float your sofa? Well, a lot of them aren’t the prettiest from behind so you’ll want to be aware of that.
Read the product description closely to find out if just the leg rest comes up or if both leg rest comes up and the back reclines, because both exist. You definitely don’t want to drop a few thousand on a sofa thinking it’s one thing, and it ends up being only half of what you expected.
Again, read closely to see how many footrests come up (especially in a sectional). Most sites will give you the chance to customize it, but not all do. Also, some might have footrests that move individually, or together as a bench. Be mindful of what you’re looking for compared to what you’re buying.
Check the warranty because they malfunction/break. Anything with a button just simply does not last as long as something manual. It’s a tale as old as time. Buy an extended warranty if you can.
Make sure you have the clearance for both the fully extended footrest and the fully reclined back, because these babies are BIG and DEEP.
They’re mostly sold in just a few neutral colors like white, cream, and gray. A few retailers will give you more custom fabric options, but those are likely much pricier.
Most of the good-looking ones on the market right now kind of all look the same…chunky and blocky, but it’s a fairly transitional, versatile shape that works in a lot of home styles.

Alright, time to go shopping. During my hunt for good-looking reclining sofas, I found that most range in price from around $3,000 to upwards of $6,000 for a larger sectional. Of course, there are variations below and above that, but that’s the median range. I broke them up into two price categories: Under $4,000 and $4,000+. Let’s take a look:

The Best Reclining Sofas Under $4,000

At first glance, I’m sure you can understand why I said they all have a very similar look. There’s kind of three versions here: The pillow-top plush cloud sofa look, the tight Italian modern look either squared off or rounded, and a classic mid-century tufted vibe. My previous company actually used to sell #5, and it was simple yet effective and comfortable. I really love the offerings from Homebody and Castlery (the white feels nuts but it’s a performance fabric, at least), though it’s hard to not be drawn to something like an olive velvet from West Elm, a brand that does provide a fair amount of fabric selection for their reclining sofas. If you are within the delivery areas of a Living Spaces, it’s hard to beat the price of #4. The same goes for the really cute curved sectional from Scan Design, which is shockingly under that $4,000 price tag.

1. 121” Modern Power Oversized Pillow-Back Reclining Couch Sofa | 2. Bernhardt Luc Tan Power Reclining Sofa | 3. Amed 89″ Upholstered Power Reclining Sofa | 4. Morro Bay II Beige Fabric 128″ 3-Piece Power Reclining Modular Sofa w/ Power Headrest | 5. Bridgers Power Recliner Sofa Warm Grey | 6. Luxe Sofa – 2 Seat | 7. White Pillow-Style Electric Power Reclining Sofa With USB Charging | 8. Ryden 4-Piece Modular Power Reclining Sectional | 9. Everett Leather Reclining Sofa | 10. Jaron Performance Fabric Recliner Extended Sofa | 11. Leo Motion Reclining Sofa – 123″ | 12. Ohana 3-Seat Zero Gravity Modular Reclining Sofa

The Best Reclining Sofas Over $4,000

If you have some more money to spend, the designs get a little bit more daring, though not much. For instance, the sloping arm of #1 is so nice and doesn’t read “grandpa’s recliner” in the least—plus it’s huge at 116 inches wide. Of course, that channel tufted leather option from Layla Grace has been a popular design for the contemporary set out there, and this one has power footrests! I’m fairly certain #3 and #7 are the same sofa just by two different names, one in fabric, one in leather, but they are both a super classic shape that won’t go out of style anytime soon. For something a little more traditional, the Pottery Barn sofa at #6 has a rolled arm, which would satisfy the needs of someone who likes more of a vintage vibe with the guts of modern living. Arhaus’ version (#8) is a shape I love for a family or media room, with the soft pillow-like arms and base.

1. Malena Motion Reclining Sofa – 116″ | 2. Hooker Furniture Chatelain 2 Piece Power Sofa | 3. Downing 111″ Upholstered Power Reclining Sofa | 4. Hooker Furniture Atlas Cream Power Reclining Sofa with Power Headrest | 5. Shelter Motion Reclining 5-Piece L-Shaped Sectional – 109″ | 6. Ultra Lounge Roll Arm Reclining Sofa – 110″ | 7. Four Hands Tillery 111″ Top Grain Leather Power Recliner 3-Piece Sofa | 8. Coburn Three-Piece Motion Sofa | 9. Lift Off Power Recliner 4-Piece Modular Sectional | 10. Harmony Modular Motion Reclining Sofa – 117″ | 11. Leisure Power Recliner Leather Sofa 84″ | 12. Luxe U-Shape Sectional – 6 Seat

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And this is where I leave you, design friends. The reclining sofa isn’t for everyone, but if functionally, it fits what you’re trying to get out of your seating in your home, there are so many more options than you probably thought there were. You do not have to be relegated to cinnamon roll recliners, as today’s post taught you. You can have the best of both comfort and style worlds. Hallelujah!

Until next time…

Opening Image Credit: Malena Motion Reclining Sofa from West Elm