Yes, I’m/the whole EHD team is still in a hardcore “let’s make life feel and look better” mindset. For me, it’s been everything from health to beauty to home organization. I’m slowly chipping away at things that have been on my list of to-dos for a while, and wow, wow, wow, it just feels really good to check those babies off. So, in the spirit of January, this is a post filled with mostly decor pieces that are both great looking as they are practical (aka will make your life better). Oh, and it’s all from Wayfair, so you know the prices are great, and that shipping is FAST. I promise that there is so much power in making just one small positive change, even if we think it’s a waste of time if we can’t get everything we have on our lists done all at once. It’s not a waste, and it really helps…I know from experience. So let’s dive in, shall we?

Shoe Storage

I know I talked about shoe storage in my post last week about organizing products, but there were only two options (both great if I do say so myself), but I felt we needed more, and with some variety. These will only focus on shoe storage for entryways or mudrooms (aka the kind you see and want to look beautiful).

What a stunner! Modern traditional style, great looking hardware, holds up to 12 pairs of shoes (at least that’s what it says in the description, AND has a drawer! Oh, sorry, it’s also under $150:)) I just think it’s so chic and offers so much function, even beyond the shoe storage. It does come in a few other colors if black doesn’t work with the rest of your decor.

But you might prefer more of a bench style (it’s nice to have a place to sit when you’re putting on or taking off your shoes), and that’s where this wonderful piece comes in. The perfect amount of detail to make it feel special but not “too much,” holds eight pairs of shoes, and is only $120.

This one I LOVE visually, but clearly it doesn’t have the same storage capacity as the others. I see this one more for the person, couple, family, etc, that doesn’t have a shoe storage problem but does need a bench. Then let’s say if a pair of shoes needs a quick temporary home or if guests come over, then this is a perfect fit. The curves of the arms are so good, too.

Boot Trays

The Portland team made sure I included boot trays because they are well acquainted with wanting a nice-looking place to put their wet and/or dirty shoes. I thought this one was pretty ideal! It has a great MCM style, beautiful stain (there are two other options as well), and two tiers! Double the shoes, double the fun, they say:)

However, if you don’t need two tiers and prefer a tray that’s easy to wipe down, either of these are great looking and work with a ton of styles. The galvanized steel one is $40 and wonderfully classic, and the copper one is $46 with that chic and quiet square pattern on the base. Can’t miss with either.

Weather-Proof Mats

If you need a boot tray, you probably need an indoor weather mat, right? We like ones that are simple, have a nice neutral color, and a subtle pattern. This one is great because it really checks those boxes, and if you read about it, this puppy is durable. This slender size is great too for smaller or more narrower spaces.

Two more options! The blue one reminds me of the one in Em’s mudroom, but it also comes in a variety of other colors, and I LOVE the dot pattern on the brown one (which also reminds me of the one in Em’s mudroom:)).

Memory Foam Rug Pad

Em has been using this exact rug pad since her LA days, and as someone who has had the pleasure of walking on it, it’s soooooo nice. I’ve wanted one for a long time, and 2026 may be the year. Here’s what she said about it in 2020:

“With what feels like 1/2″ of memory foam, this rug pad (combined with this comfy rug) is SO COMFY. We originally bought it because our first Persian rug was pretty thin and I wanted concussion-free wrestling periods. It isn’t just non-slip, it adds at least 1/2″ of underfoot serious memory foam comfort. The only downside is that if you get it EXACTLY the size of your rug then you can see the edge of it, but if you get it too much smaller then you can see the line underneath where it ends. So I ended up cutting an inch or two off so the rug just slightly goes over it. Not everyone is as into comfort as I am but I think these little things are subconscious signals that say, ‘come in, sit, relax, stay awhile,’ which is how I want us to feel in our home.”

Pillow Inserts

I just recently replaced my pillow inserts, and wow, do I notice a difference! If you are in the market, one of the reviewers said this about these ones:

“You know those hotel pillows that we all love so much. Well, these are those pillows. They aren’t too soft to where your head sinks down into the pillow, and you wake up with a crook in your neck, and they aren’t too firm when you feel like you slept on a brick all night and wake up with a stiff neck…”

Sold? Ya, me too.

Nightstands With Charging Stations

Why not have your nightstands work even better for you and have a built-in charging station? If you are someone who leaves their phone in another room while you sleep, you are my hero. But for the rest of us, the idea of having the easiest access to a charging port for one of our many devices sounds pretty amazing. But basic and overly modern nightstands are not really our preference. Instead, look at how great these modern traditional ones are. The black ones have cleaner lines and that cute open nook over their two drawers, while the light toned ones have those wonderful rounded feet. No losing with either of these options.

Here are some more modern options. The fluting on the MCM-inspired one is the perfect detail for just enough visual texture (also only $130). Then how cool is the more postmodern one! Its shape is modern, and the wood texture is so organic-looking and beautiful. Just a great option for a beautiful but unexpected piece (and at the great price of $165).

Storage End Of Bed Benches

As I am sure many of you know, EHD LOVES an end-of-bed bench. Make it a storage bench?? Chef’s kiss. So when I saw this one I knew I had to include it. So pretty, elegant, AND practical.

This bench (as proven by these photos) is perfect for either an entry, hallway, or end of the bed, etc. The colors are great, the style is classic, and from the looks of it, it has a decent amount of storage. No notes.

I feel like this one is a sneaky storage bench. When you look at it, you don’t immediately think “storage bench.” The style is versatile, the color is neutral but fun, and because it’s 100% upholstered, it looks cozy too:) All of the benches are around $200, which isn’t bad at all.

Jewelry Organization

Let’s just say most of my costume jewelry is in a very pretty pink Intentionally Blank shoe box. Not a terrible solution, but it’s not a great one or one I want to display. These two, on the other hand, are a different story. If you read any trend posts from last year or Arlyn’s 2026 color trend post from Wednesday, then you know light blue is one of THE colors currently. It took me by surprise last year, too, and I couldn’t love it more. So if you want to dip your toe into the icy blue world, this light blue jewelry box is perfect. But you are more of a classic natural wood tone person and have the budget to go a little over $100, this walnut beauty is a no-brainer. If I were further along in my bathroom design, I would be having a VERY hard time choosing between these two.

But maybe you’re like, “Jess, aren’t you cute with your three little drawers, but that is NOT going to cut it for my jewelry collection.” Fair! So then here is an option that can be wall-mounted or hung over a door. And not only do you get a significant amount of jewelry storage, but you get a wall mirror too! They also come in other fun colors if black doesn’t work with your overall style.

Now this jewelry armoire says to all of these previous options, “hold my beer” when it opens up and reveals SEVEN drawers, two doors for hanging pieces, AND a top compartment with a mirror. I think the next step up from this would be a jewelry closet. It’s simple, stylish, and gives you so much incredible storage!

Cord Management

It’s 2026, and if you somehow don’t have a lot of cords to manage, then I am very impressed! I feel that most of us there’s at least one area in our home where the cords are out of control, and these cute little boxes can help manage the cord chaos. The white one is meant to sort of camouflage into the background with its simple, sleek lines. The green one is more of a “show me off” gal with that fun color and cool texture. Something for everyone…

…unless you prefer a natural material like this wonderful woven basket option! Again, you can’t go wrong.

If nothing else, I hope this post was a little extra encouragement to keep going with those little improvements in whatever way you wish. Wayfair is, of course, just such an incredible resource that we think should always be a place to look for great pieces that make your home and life better…at great prices. Hope you all have a good and safe weekend.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: The Mudroom Dog Washing Station: Measurements, How It’s Working + Some Practical Dog Products

If you love color as much as I do, buckle up, because today, we’re talking color trends 2026 in interior design. Spoiler: There aren’t many drastic moves from the last time we talked about this, really. Millennial gray isn’t back (yet), cool whites haven’t taken over, and orange is still a bit fringe. But many of the shades we talked about last year are still very much on trend for this year…with a few additional surprises.

After consulting fashion trends, trend authorities such as WGSN and Pantone—yeah, even after that Cloud Dancer debacle—and digging deep into my own intuition based on my observations of designers’ work and retail product offerings, I’ve come up with seven colors I feel strongly are already impacting or about to impact how we decorate our homes.

Before diving in, you know I always have an aside. Scrolling through the images I collected made me stop and admire in total awe the absolute treasure trove of beauty we have at our constant disposal. Trendy or not, it’s like…WOW. There is so much to take in all the time that it’s easy to take it for granted, but for just a moment, let’s pause and be in wonder of just how many gorgeous and unique homes and rooms we get to peer into on the daily.

::pauses:: ::wonders:: ::awes::

Alright! Time to admire some colors, shall we?

Color Trend #1: Ice Blue

Let’s start this list off with a color family that is as dependable as water boiling at 212 degrees Fahrenheit: Blue. This cool hue manages to present itself over and over again in different iterations with every new trend wave; last year, it showed up as an icy iteration, and that same ice blue is still ahead of the pack. I personally think it’s a fantastic palate (and palette) cleanser as an addition to all those deep, moody reds and browns we’ve been seeing, but more on that later on the list, so keep scrolling. Icy blue isn’t overly milky or saturated like other denim or Swedish blues that have been popular for the last decade. It’s crisp, clear, frosty, and pale.

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A post shared by domino (@dominomag)

James Huniford used an icy blue velvet sofa as the bright point in the otherwise earthy room he designed for the Kids Bay Showhouse last year, featured on Domino. If you leaned hard into the warm neutral trend and want to inject a little extra oomph now, misty blue is a great way to do that without things feeling overly colorful.

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A post shared by Анастасия Брандт | Дизайнер Интерьера (@anastasiia.brandt)

Case in point: This large room-scaled cabinet unit in a fairly neutral room. It’s such a wonderful way to use a color in a very large way that doesn’t feel overly burdensome or heavy.

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A post shared by KERV Interiors & KERV Installs (@kerv_interiors)

Over a decade ago, I painted my bedroom a similar barely-there blue (with enough depth that it doesn’t feel like it belongs in a toddler’s nursery) and proceeded to recommend it to everyone close to me to the point that I made them feel like there was no other choice. As it happens, I moved on from the color, but it’s back, baby, as seen in this lovely and fresh space by Kerv Interiors. (Be sure to scroll through to get to more images of the bedroom it was used in and all the fun colors paired with it!)

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A post shared by Alice Grace (@by_alicegrace)

First, scroll to the second image. Okay, now I can talk. Using ice blue in small but punchy moments like a pendant, sconce, or even piping on upholstery or soft goods is a fun and unexpected way to bring in this color. Another inspiring takeaway from this project by Alice Grace is how utterly delightful this cool blue looks with cherry red (and khaki, which is a trend further down on our list!).

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A post shared by Amanda Moore | Interior Decor • Design (@houseofmooredesign)

Icy blue has been increasingly paired with burgundy; in fact, that combo is absolutely everywhere right now, like the previous one I mentioned, but with some more gravitas. It really does a great job of lifting up dense shades, not to mention it feels retro (like the vintage bathroom above shared by House of Moore Design) yet timeless.

Color Trend #2: Teal

This is not the first time I’ve called out teal as a color to watch (you might recall this article, and even here where I mentioned it, as well), so you know I’m serious about it. I’m not the only one, either. WGNS, an international trend forecasting company, named “Transformative Teal” the color of the year for 2026. I personally think, after years of milky and cottage-y versions of blue and green, we’re open again to move complex shades of those colors. Like both blue and green? Then BOOM, Teal knocks them out in one single dramatic punch.

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A post shared by Bright Designlab | Interior Designer (@brightdesignlab)

The more I see designers use a color in more permanent applications, such as tile, the more I know it’s going to have lasting power. Case in point, this sweet little bathroom above by Bright Design Lab.

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A post shared by Architectural Digest (@archdigest)

Designer Robert Stilin celebrated the color in this beautiful home that was featured in Architectural Digest. Something in this first photo that I want to call out is how radiant teal looks in natural light. It’s one of those hues that plays as nicely in a light and airy space as it does in something moody with limited lighting. And it practically begs to be on a material or surface that has some sheen.

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A post shared by Mimi Shin (@mimishindesign)

When I worked at a furniture company after my EHD days, I was shocked that a peacock blue similar to the beautiful velvet above (a space by designer Mimi Shin) was one of our most selected fabrics. It held rank in the top three, sometimes even right at the apex of the list, along with gray and beige. Which makes me think, perhaps teal is just one of those colors that is always with us, whether it’s part of the zeitgeist or not. That said, it’s definitely part of it now and will be for the foreseeable future, IMHO.

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A post shared by Sophie Rowell (@cotedefolk)

A bathroom fixture such as this sink above in a bathroom by Sophie Rowell of Cote de Folk feels like a firmly cemented approval of teal. Could you swap it out? Sure, but chances are, you’re in it for the long haul with this. It’s a good thing, it’s absolutely marvelous and would make anyone stop and stare for a moment when they entered the space.

Color Trend #3: Amber (A.K.A. Burnt Caramel)

I may have amber down at number three, but TBH, it’s one of the top color trends I’m seeing, especially in bathroom design—which I’ll be covering more in depth next week, so stay tuned for that. But yes, amber, or burnt caramel as I’ve been seeing it called in some places, is absolutely everywhere. It’s a rich, unctuous throuple marriage between rust and mustard (which both had their heyday a few years ago), as well as brown. Some iterations of amber are a bit more yellow, while others are a bit more terracotta brown, but anywhere it lands, it’s earthy but fashionable.

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A post shared by Studio Mac (@ailsa_macconnell)

As mentioned, amber bathroom tiles are *the* material choice of the moment in that space, specifically of the zellige variety. I love how designer Alisa MacConnell paired it with buttery yellow walls and bright brass to keep the jewel tone feeling fresh instead of dour.

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A post shared by AD Polska (@archdigestpolska)

I think the color of this sofa and the walls (in a room by designer Hugo Toro) are kiiiind of up for debate, but I’m including it in the burnt caramel camp anyway. The beauty of this color is that it’s very much a warm neutral but still feels like a color-color. If you’re scared of color or don’t really know how to use it, amber or burnt caramel is a great gateway.

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A post shared by studio mountain (@studio__mountain)

I just need a moment to take in this gorgeous tile backdrop in a space by Studio Mountain (the tile is by BDDW, a favorite of mine and EHD as a whole). I’m a sucker for a scenic tile, which we normally see in Delft blue and white, but in mustardy amber, it’s so unusual and special.

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A post shared by Katie Harbison (@katie_harbison)

Chocolate brown upholstery was all the rage last year, and while it’s still very much trending, a less dense or heavy option is a deeper amber. Isn’t it just delicious on this sofa and basically on every surface of this room by Katie Harbison?

Color Trend #4: Chartreuse

Slap my knee and call me surprised because chartreuse snuck up on me. Really, it shouldn’t have, being that both yellow and warm-toned grassy greens have been climbing the popularity charts over the last year. But chartreuse? That one snuck up on me. Like a new word you’re hearing for the first time, you start to hear it everywhere; this acid greenish yellow has been very much the same for me.

What’s funny, though, is the last time icy blue and chocolate brown were on trend for our homes, chartreuse was also popping off. Curious how that happens, but also, everything has a season and a cycle, and nothing is new under the sun.

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A post shared by Heidi Caillier Design (@heidicaillierdesign)

Kendall Jenner’s home by Heidi Caillier was the home tour heard around the internet. If you haven’t seen it, you probably have and just haven’t realized. The image above shows Jenner’s camper, which Caillier also designed. You’ll see this limey chartreuse here as a call back to other spaces inside the actual home, such as the bathroom below:

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A post shared by JFGS (@salt.aire)

Caillier used a chartreuse Zia Tile zellige to wake up all the dark, natural wood tones in the cabin-like bathroom above. A soft neutral or even a burgundy or blue would have been beautiful, but the tart green takes on a whole new life and flavor, similar to squeezing a lime over your tacos. They’d be delicious without it, but with it, they’re exactly as they should be.

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A post shared by The Expert (@theexpert)

I contemplated not including this photo because the upholstery isn’t necessarily as punchy as chartreuse, but the olive green and golden yellows come together in a similar way for my eye, so here it is for your enjoyment. Cortney Bishop masterfully brings the warm palette together with cognacs, bronze-like wood tones, and natural materials.

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A post shared by Laure Joliet (@laurejoliet)

Electric Bowery, shot by Laure Joliet, is quickly becoming one of my newest sources for fresh inspiration. They use color in a way that feels natural, though, like you’ll see in the next project, they also totally go for it. But here, a just-barely chartreuse sofa is absolutely wonderful paired with ambers, caramels, browns, and a hit of cobalt blue.

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A post shared by Electric Bowery (@electricbowery)

Speaking of Electric Bowery, this dining room showcases my favorite way to use color: pick complementary hues but shift them a bit. Instead of traditional red and green, the chartreuse curtains and wall check the green box, while the brick-toned leather chairs carry the weight for red. It works because that’s simply the science of color, but also looks interesting and unexpected because there are some liberties being taken.

Color Trend #5: Burgundy/Oxblood

Chartreuse may have crept up on me, but oxblood (or burgundy or maroon) sure didn’t. It’s been one of the hottest colors in both home and fashion for the better part of last year, and for me personally, it’s a long-held favorite of mine. It’s such a statement when you use it to paint cabinetry, unapologetic on soft goods and walls, and downright luxurious on stone surfaces for kitchens and bathrooms. If we’re lucky, this one will be around for some time.

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A post shared by Electric Bowery (@electricbowery)

Electric Bowery, I just can’t quit you! Pairing a deep red with dark wood tones is such a gorgeous way of bringing down the visual noise of a burgundy. Keep the contrast low with creamy highlights instead of going for something overly white as a paint companion.

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A post shared by Ainsley Brookins Stewart (@ainsleybrookinsdesign)

Daring to use a dramatic color in a small bathroom—such as the one above by Ainsley Brookins Design—is the design tale as old as time, and burgundy really shines in this application. On the walls, on fixtures, in tiles, with stone…it doesn’t matter how you bring it in, the result is always going to be lush, sumptuous, and grandiose, no matter the scale.

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A post shared by DABITO (@dabito)

Dabito of Old Brand New is a master of #sorrynotsorry color use. This amount of non-neutrals is not for everyone, or even most, but it’s so fun to study and pull from to use in a way you feel most comfortable. I’d never think to pair maroon walls with a rusty brown rug, but it totally works, with a soft green as the bridge.

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A post shared by Nuova Home | студия дизайна интерьера (@nuova_home)

Using oxblood in conjunction with neutral woods, and black and white—like Nuova Home did above—renders something very high-end and easy to digest. A big thumbs up for the color drench on the desk area (between the desk, chair, and lamp).

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A post shared by Marie Flanigan Interiors (@marieflaniganinteriors)

Give me a home library or den, and I’ll dive headfirst into a color like this on all surfaces, as Marie Flanigan Interiors did here. Note her use of sheens to really bring out the character of the wine-like shade.

Color Trend #6: Plum

A hop, skip, and (short) jump on the color wheel from burgundy will give you plum. This cooler-toned cousin of red (or warmer-toned cousin of purple, depending on how you’re looking at it) is more playful and youthful than oxblood, but just as impactful. There’s something about aubergine that always feels like such a risk, but when you pull it off, it has huge rewards. And now that I think about it, plum is kind of like the teal of this side of the color wheel—a hybrid of two colors with its own very distinct personality.

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A post shared by Jase Sullivan (@jasesullivan)

Jase Sullivan, I applaud you. The use of plum on this dresser (and the wallpaper) is remarkable, particularly when used in tandem with the cobalt blue lamp and the earthy green door. And like any other jewel tone, just add neutrals and natural textures to keep things feeling grounded.

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A post shared by Zoe Feldman (@zoefeldmandesign)

An oldie by a goodie from designer Zoe Feldman. I’ve admired this dining room for years, stopping every time it hits my feed. It strikes this very difficult balance of being elegant and “fancy” but still casual, welcoming, and interesting. I think the plum color on the walls, trim, and wallpaper plays a big role in that successful balance.

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A post shared by Zoe Feldman (@zoefeldmandesign)

Another one from Zoe Feldman Design. As you can see, plum is hugely successful with a variety of green and other warm neutrals. Throw in some pink or fuchsia, and you have a well-rounded palate that’s full of intrigue, friendliness, and fun.

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A post shared by domino (@dominomag)

Duelle Studio via Domino shows how plum can transform from grounded and serious to joyful and springy with the addition of lilac, blush, and peach.

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A post shared by AM Interior Design | Seattle/Tacoma Interior Design Studio (@aminterior_design)

I mean, what’s not to love about this bathroom by AM Interior Design? A plum toile? Yes, please!

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A post shared by Natalie Myers (@nataliemyers)

Natalie Myers is so good at modern California cool, using color in a very deliberate way. Mixing that plum hex ground with a chalky mauve-meets-lilac cabinet feels contemporary and unexpected.

Color Trend #7: Khaki

For anyone reading here waiting for something less in-your-face, I’m happy to tell you that we’re rounding out our list with khaki. Look, I wasn’t that excited about it when I first read about it, probably just because the name “khaki” itself is so blah, but khaki is here, and honestly, it’s the absolutely perfect companion to almost every other saturated shade in our lineup. It’s the color that’s quietly been in the background for a while, often being confused with mushroom, or taupe, or beige, or cream. But no, khaki has a depth to it that all those others fall just short of. It’s all those colors combined with just enough yellow and green in it to make it interesting.

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A post shared by Heidi Caillier Design (@heidicaillierdesign)

Heidi Caillier Design has been on this khaki game for years. It’s her base for almost everything if you go back and look through her work. And now I understand why. It gives brown without the heaviness, cream but with more personality, and whispers while taking up space. Honestly, it may be the ideal neutral.

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A post shared by Mieke ten Have (@mieketenhave)

Another one by Heidi Cailier, styled by Mieke Ten Have. The khaki print of the wallpaper works so well with the putty gray-green trim and all the rich wood tones and limestone floor.

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A post shared by Alice Grace (@by_alicegrace)

And finally, I showed this space by Alice Grace as an example of icy blue, but it’s coming back around for its khaki-colored cabinetry. Bonus points for its surprise blue interior (you can see on the eighth slide!).

—

Raise your hand if you’re feeling alive after all that glorious color! Raise your hand if you’re thinking, “You do you, but not for me!” Both opinions are welcome here, because I am an equal opportunity color lover. And honestly, my mantra, which I share often, is that there are no bad colors, just bad uses of color, so on-trend or not, it’s all good.

Take care, design friends. Until next time…

Opening Image Credits: Design by Jess Bunge | Styled by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Makeover Takeover: Jess’ Colorful Yet Calm Bedroom Reveal

It’s clear. The mood for January is: declutter and reset. I just spent all weekend assessing countless piles of accumulated clutter and the bountiful re-organization needs of my house. How ’bout you? If you’re following Em over on Instagram, there’s a good chance you saw her doing just the same, and I’m impressed. She’s been crossing off one cluttered area at a time (nightstands, kitchen drawers, kids’ closets), slaying the chaos with vigor and determination. Maybe you caught the awesome storage round-up Jess just shared last week, highlighting some of the best organization solutions out there for just about every spot in your home (my personal faves being the over-the-door storage and this perfectly narrow shoe cabinet).

In many cases, buying new, specific solutions for your organizing needs makes perfect sense. This post isn’t meant to discourage you from seeking out a ready-made system to get you going. If your linen cabinet is exploding and your sheets refuse to stick together, I think these sheet organizers are an incredible, affordable, EASY solve. But this weekend, as I began to take down my Christmas decorations (yeahhh I’ve been procrastinating that one), piling it all next to my “must take to recycling” heap of cardboard boxes, I wondered about what I needed to buy in order to properly store it all ’til next year…and then a lightbulb went off. Did I really need to purchase a new, plastic tote to keep it all together? Or could I just make the most of the Amazon boxes in front of me? I DIY’d my Christmas decorations from brown paper bags and old magazines; what was stopping me from giving these boxes a similar facelift? And what other items do I (or you) have at home already that could be repurposed or reimagined for storage? Well, here are a few organization DIY-deas that I (and the internet) came up with:

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Reorganize With Cardboard:

Cardboard, to me, is such an underrated material. And it’s one I know we ALL have in our homes. My plan for my big pile of empty boxes is to paint or cover them in patterned paper or fabric to give them a new, slightly more aesthetic life. Painting feels like the easiest and most playful method for me, but how cute are these fabric boxes if you wanted to spend a little more time? I’ll store my holiday decorations in them, so I think I’ll paint them to reflect what’s inside, with big snowflakes or little collections of trees and stars. Are they going to be perfect? Probably not! And that’s fine with me.

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A post shared by Linto Antony (@plants.diy.upcycle)

Boxes of smaller sizes could be decorated similarly (or not, just leave ’em as is!) to be used as drawer organizers. Are you one of those people that holds onto their iPhone box for years and years just in case? Use that perfect box in your bathroom drawer to store your hair ties or bobby pins! OR you can follow this tutorial (so easy) to make a custom cardboard drawer divider, just by cutting strips of cardboard to interlock with one another, adding tape to finish the edges. Totally customizable to fit whatever you like 🙂

@thecardboardqueen My Top 5 tips for Cardboard crafting!! 📦📦📦🤎🤎👸 #cardboardboxes #cardboard #crafting #crafts #crafttutorial #craftvideos ♬ original sound – Sherri Madison

More easy cardboard ideas? Use toilet paper rolls to group and organize loose cords. Take cereal boxes, cut them diagonally, and cover them to make magazine holders. OR cut out one side, stack, adhere, and decorate to make a paper organizer. A milk carton can be cut down and decorated to make a great pencil holder (or use a tin can or glass jar wrapped in fun paper, or not!). An empty tissue box is a great way to store loose plastic bags that can be easily pulled from the top. A shoe box is lidded storage just waiting to be customized! Cut a hole in the side, and you have a cable/cord organizer. You can really let your imagination run wild. This woman’s video has some great tips to keep in mind when working with cardboard. I think I’ll try the inside-out method for my Christmas storage to avoid all the labels!

Level Up With Wood Crafts:

@paige.falk I love a good shelf 🫶🏼 #diy #shelvesdecor #shelvesidea #roomdecor #newhomeSLAY ♬ Let's Have Some Fun Alt – The Desperados

I hope I’m not the only one with random wood scraps scattered around. If you’re like me in this way and you’re not afraid of a little sawing, there are plenty of easy DIY storage builds to make. I’ve made a “floating shelf” like this before. A little paint or stain could take this to the next level, but a narrow plank of wood and a few L brackets/screws make a perfect little storage ledge.

@allstylelife My thermostat just got promoted to wall art 🖼️🙌🏼. I love this easy DIY for hiding those little eyesores around the home. All you need are two @IKEA Rödalm picture frames, a couple of hinges, and magnets to keep the frames closed. I used @Command Brand strips to hang mine—so simple! Would you try this DIY? #ikeahack #diypictureframe #torontolife #torontocreator #diypictureframehack ♬ Man I Need – Olivia Dean

This fun idea takes a couple of simple picture frames and some small hinges to create hidden wall storage! A great place to hang up your keys or the perfect way to hide an ugly wall electronic behind a nice piece of “art”. Take it up a notch using a vintage frame and some scrap wood to build it out from the wall a bit and hide shelves inside, like this girl did here.

@tinalemac After moving into this apartment from living in a house, I quickly realized that I needed to add more storage. I got creative with these DIYs and hacks to maximize these small spaces and they are still some of my fave projects to this day ☺️ Can’t wait to see what else we will create in the new place!! #diyideas #diyhome #diyproject #apartmentideas #apartmenthacks #renterfriendly #kitchenideas #diyhomeprojects ♬ After Midnight – Chappell Roan

This girl is making DIYs that are a little more advanced, but I TOTALLY want to steal the sofa sleeve/table idea! Essentially, just attaching three pieces of wood with either L brackets again or pocket holes if you have a jig, then decorating how you like! If you can build that, you could easily build some custom shelf risers using the same method. Or, similar to the cardboard drawer dividers, you could make an interlocking X-shaped, wooden organizer (great for magazines or books), and this tutorial shows you just how easy it is to build. Even easier? Cut small boards to the depth of your dresser drawers to create sturdy dividers to be attached with wood glue, nails, or little screws.

Re-Imagine Existing Storage Solutions:

@purrfecthomee Ikea hack #home #kitchen #organize #homeimprovement #favourite #ikea #organization #decoration ♬ Come Inside Of My Heart – IV Of Spades

Now, let’s say you don’t want permanent drawer dividers, and you’d rather not spend the money on the classic expandable drawer dividers. One of the most versatile, pre-existing storage solutions is this plate holder from IKEA. Look how this person uses them to organize a drawer! So clever. You could also place them out on your desk and store mail, loose papers, art, or, of course, use them as they were intended–for organizing plates (or pans, etc) in the kitchen!

@kylenct At $10 per rack (I got 2!), this is a super affordable and beautiful way to display your books! I’m also downsizing my book collection bc I am not really a maximalist in that way, so it’s fun to highlight a more curated selection in a way that doubles as decor. Original idea by @Grillodesigns ! #diybookshelf #bookshelfhack #livingroomdecor #bookstorageideas ♬ RUNAWAY – pluko

But did you know you could ALSO hang these on your wall as a floating bookshelf?? How cool is this? And again, your creative options are endless with paint or stain. Alternatively, you could take the pieces apart, turn them 90 degrees, and only hang up the doweled sides to function as a peg rail to hang jewelry, hats, scarves–you name it!

@thedoerandthedreamer I have a full blog post about the mudroom too if you want more details! . This is the easier DIY though and can be so customizable! #diyproject #organizationhacks #mudroomideas #shoestorage ♬ original sound – Tara – slow DIY & home ideas

Speaking of wooden dowels, another great idea I came across was using a closet rod as shoe storage! This girl installs it just as you would a normal closet rod, but super low, so you can tuck shoes in between it and the wall. But if you don’t have two walls to hang between, you could always hang a curtain rod low to the ground to use in the same way. An easy way to get your shoes off the ground (but maybe put some contact paper or a back it with a piece of wood to protect your walls from excess dirt).

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A post shared by Aurelie Erikson (@aurelie.erikson)

We can’t talk rods without talking hangers. You might already have some of your kid’s hangers hanging around, and if you do, they’re perfect for hanging pants or jeans in the closet because they’re a way more efficient size for draping clothing over the bottom. Great for slinky tops or skirts too! Another great idea for jeans is to hang them in your closet using S hooks on the rod. Just hook the belt loops onto the S hooks and you have a super simple way to store your pants.

I’m having a bit of a jean storage issue at the moment, and have actually been thinking about using the shoe rod storage technique on the wall behind my bedroom door, but for pants. Think about it, a few small rods stacked and hung up on the wall with just enough space between them to fold and drape my jeans along them? I’m still workshopping this idea, but for now, I don’t hate it.

There are SOOOO many more DIYs I have saved and could share here, but I’m running out of time and don’t want to keep dragging on. So I’ll end with this. Storage is something I think we alllll have to deal with, some more aesthetically than others. In the past, I found it absolutely necessary to buy all matching bins and boxes from IKEA or The Container Store and would go HAM on the plastic drawer organizers. And if that’s your jam, more power to you! But as I take this time to sort through and declutter, I realize just how much STUFF I have lying around. Stuff I need to purge, stuff I need to store, stuff I could repurpose to stuff my stuff away. Of course, it’s so tempting to just buy it fresh and new, and for some things, I still do. If you’re less DIY-inclined, I highly encourage you to check out your local thrift store or Facebook Marketplace for storage solutions. There are so many baskets and bins out there already that might just be the perfect fit for your space. But if you have the time and are craving the creative flex, maybe give one of these storage ideas a try or let one of them inspire a completely new solution! And if it does, please, feel free to share your clever ideas in the comments 🙂

Sincerely, Gretch

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Finally Organizing Four Huge Problem Areas (…And My Case For Loving January)

Sure, it’s a little cliché to talk about really good/helpful storage and organizing products the first week back of a new year. However, I’d say 80% of my friends and family are deep in a purge and organizing mode…myself included. The other day, my best friend said, “Jess, you’d be so proud of me. I’ve gotten rid of so much, and I’ve already gone to the store to get containers and bins for what we’re keeping.” It’s such an exhilarating feeling!! I do want to make it clear that I’m not going around to my friends’ homes, telling them to “organize or else”. However, I do have a reputation for getting fairly obsessed with getting rid of what I no longer need or want in my own home. But did I help purge and organize many of my friends’ rooms growing up? Yes. Did I read and love every word of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up in 2014? Yes. Did I then consider a career in organizational design after that? You bet. So while I’m not an actual organizing professional, I am an enthusiast and hope that if you’ve been looking for a nudge to purge, organize what you already have, or both, that this post inspires you. Let’s start where most of us do…the closets.

The Closets

Bed Sheet Organizer (Pack of 6) | Storage Bag

If I didn’t already have a perfectly good bin for my one extra bed linen set and some towels (or had more bedrooms in my home), I would instantly purchase these bed sheet organizers. How nice to just be able to pull an organizer for a certain bed you’re changing and know you have all the matching items ready to go. No more “wait, why is this queen flat sheet with the king fitted sheet?” It’s all in one beautiful container. But for bigger and bulkier items like comforters, extra pillows, etc, this large storage bag $5 from IKEA, is perfect.

Expandable Blanket Storage Bags (Pack of 3) | Clothes Storage Bins (Pack of 2)

More options! These expandable blanket storage bags are a mix of the two products above. They can be for just sheets, but can also expand larger for your bulkier linens. The more structured bins are for clothes. It’s so important to be able to see what you have (especially if they are sweaters you haven’t worn in a year). These bins are chic, clean, and seemingly not annoying to use!

Clear Shelf Divider (Set of 8) | Purse Organizer/Bag Divider

But maybe a simple shelf divider is more your style. Mallory had loved these clear shelf dividers in her last studio apartment. Emily is also a fan. Anything to help keep those open closet shelves more organized! I also love the idea of getting to clearly see all of your bags with this divider while keeping them nice. Maybe as I continue to get rid of stuff, I’ll make space for one. I want to have easier access to all of my bags, so I don’t forget to use them for 5 years! Out of sight, out of mind, especially when it comes to clothes and accessories.

Over-the-Door Hanging Coat Rack | Non-Slip Hangers

Hooks and hangers are definitely important in a closet reorg. I’m a sucker for these slim non-slip hangers. I can hang SO much more and have it look uniform, my dream:) And that over-the-door hanging coat rack is so cute and versatile. You could use it in any space that needs some extra hooks.

Purse Hanger Organizer (Pack of 2) | Shoe Organizer Box

If you don’t have space on the back of your door or on a shelf with a divider, this purse hanger is a great option. And if you are a shoe organizer box person (also my dream to be one), I love this chic little one. Should organization products be beautiful too if that’s what you want??

Lenia Underbed Storage Drawer (Pack of 2) | Bamboo Under Bed Storage Containers (Pack of 2)

I’m not against plastic or fabric long bins under beds (I’ve owned many), but if I had storage space under my current bed, I would get a wooden one like either of these. This one from Article is so beautiful, also comes in white oak, and Sara can attest to how beautiful they are since she owns them:) If you need to keep the budget lower, these bamboo ones are awesome AND have a zippable fabric protector. The best of all the worlds.

Wrapping Paper Storage Case

I love a good gift wrapping storage option, and this solid, simple one looks great, is from IKEA (also great), and is under $15 (the best). I promise that the feeling of knowing where all of your gift wrapping supplies are and having them organized is thrilling.

Now, let me show you some great decorative bins I found:)

Pretty Bins

MÄVINN | Large Solid Canvas Storage Basket

First off, both of these are under $20 and are clearly very cute. If bins are visible in a room, it’s a great opportunity to add color and/or pattern. The solid canvas one comes in two different sizes.

Canvas Basket | GJÄTTA

If you prefer a more structured bin look but still want them to be fabric, I really love both of these. The blue velvet one also comes in dark green!

Coiled Basket | Chunky Weave Basket

Both of these are larger, affordable, and would be great for shoes in an entry, blankets in the living room, or any other thing you can dream up. Plus, the different textures on both of them are so pretty and would add a lot to a room.

Braided Water Hyacinth Basket | Large Rattan Storage Basket with Lid

Two more! But rectangles:) I love the handles and stripes of the braided water hyacinth basket, but I also realllly appreciate the lid on the rattan storage basket. You can’t go wrong.

KNAGGLIG | Open Front Wood Bin

For shelf bins, I love the look of these. The slate wood crate is so classic and could easily be painted for more personality. Dark burgundy, anyone? The fluted open front is so cute and could effortlessly look great with a lot of styles. It’s the small details that get us every time.

Wire Natural Wood Handles Milk Crate | Rectangular Wire Natural Wood Handles Basket

We couldn’t have this post not include these very good wire baskets. They come in a bunch of sizes and would be great for a bedroom, bathroom, or food org in the kitchen. It’s simply because they are VERY pretty, are special without being loud, and are versatile.

Onto the bathroom, officially:)

The Bathroom

NÅLBLECKA | VISSLAÅN

Maximizing counterspace and keeping all of our little bathroom things organized is a top priority for most of us, right?? IKEA has so many useful and pretty things, and these two products are just that. That two-tier counter shelf is simple and cute and would be a great skincare display:) It can also be great in a kitchen. Then maybe if you want something different than the standard plain, clear drawer or counter organizers, I LOVE these chic dark gray boxes as an alternative.

Bamboo Under Sink Organizer | 2 Tier Slide Out Sink Shelf Cabinet Storage Shelves

How good are these slide-out shelves?? Under-sink plumbing can take up a lot of space in the center, making it hard to maximize the more standard options (like the ones below I’ll talk about in a second). So the fact that these have a design that takes that into account is a dream. Plus, both of these are so pretty.

Two-Tier Cabinet Storage Basket | 2-Tier Multi-Purpose Bathroom Under Sink Organizer

So, depending on what plumbing setup you have under your sink, these two could also be really great options. I chose the black metal one because it was more slender and the white/clear one because it’s wider, so it can hold more. Something for everyone (I hope:))!

Bamboo Hair Tools Organizer | Wall Mount Hair Tool Organizer

If I have the space, I would grab one of these hot tools organizers! I need to come up with a system for myself because having to haphazardly stack my hot tools into my cabinet isn’t working out that well, ha. Don’t be like me if these can work in your bathroom. I think you’ll feel like you’re the most put-together person in the world! Or at least that’s how I imagine it.

Waterproof Wicker Shower Rack (Set of 2) | No-Drill Bathroom Organizers (Set of 2)

Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of the “floor to ceiling” corner shower caddies. Of course, that doesn’t make them bad, and I’m sure there are great ones I’d like, but if you need more shower storage, consider wall shelves like these. The wicker one is pretty freaking cute and totally waterproof! No drilling required.

Shall we move on to the kitchen??

The Kitchen

Reds Wood Design Stove Top Shelf Riser | Reds Wood Design Kitchen Shelf Riser

Risers are SO underrated. We can take advantage of vertical space in any space, including the kitchen. These risers, in particular, are very beautiful and on the pricer side, but they really add to the design in a very intentional way. Just a suggestion:)

Glass Storage Jars with Airtight Lids | Cylindrical Jar | Antiqued Wood Ribbed Glass Canister

What better way to free up some cabinet space than to decant some of your dry goods in a beautiful canister?? Of course, this is not something anyone needs to do! Just an idea, and here to show you options we like. I have the glass storage jars, and since I don’t cook that much (which I’m REALLY working on this year), they’ve been really fun/pretty decor. Emily has the Weck jars in her pantry, and she loves them (and they come in so many sizes)

Expandable Bamboo Kitchen Drawer Organizer | Drawer Organizer (Set of 7)

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE the power of a kitchen drawer organizer. I have oddly large and deep kitchen drawers and once I truly created a great system, every day thereafter was better:) Both of these products are great and give you a lot of options.

In-Drawer Knife Block Organizer | Heavy-Duty Kitchenware Pan Divider

I own this in-drawer knife block organizer, and it’s awesome. Then this pan divider is simple, but it’s great that it can actually handle heavy pieces.

Glass Spice Jar Set with Labels (Set of 36) | Expandable Spice Drawer Organizer

Again, no pressure from us to decant all of our spices (I only do a handful and then display them on my countertop), but if you want to, this huge set is under $35. But whether you want to decant or not, having a spice drawer organizer is another thing I dream of and will have space for one day!

Stackable Utensil Organizer | Ziplock Bag Organizer with Wrap Dispenser

I also have these stackable utensil organizers in my silverware drawer, and they work great and still look new after a few years of use. I sadly don’t have this Ziplock bag organizer, but again, if you are the “decanting” type, it’s a nice addition to the removal of visual clutter in your drawers.

Zaina Drawer Organizer Set | Over-Door Hanging Organizer

Ever wanted Em’s mountain house plate drawer organizers? Well, this one is a spitting image! If you keep your plates and bowls in a drawer, using this set will not only make it more organized but wat more beautiful. And for my small space dwellers, that’s a pretty cute and large over-the-door organizer. Jussst saying:)

Cabinet Organizer Shelf (Set of 4) | Two Tier Countertop Rack

One thing my best friend wanted was an affordable riser/shelf…enter those white and wood ones. Simple, pretty, and they will double the storage for under $35. Or maybe you just need a super useful two tier countertop rack to save on some space. Yamazaki just makes the prettiest, simplest, and modern organization products.

Countertop Organizer Appliance Stand With Drawer And Pull-Out Shelf | BLOMNING

Here are some cuuute closed storage options. My fellow small spacers will understand the helpfulness of a drawer under a microwave! And while I like the pink a lot, I’m in love with the maroon metal canister (perfect for tea:)).

KORALLVIPPA (Set of 6)

These are food containers that are less for display and more for inside the pantry/cabinet:) This price is perfect at $15, and the design is really good!

Tall Plastic Stackable Pantry Bin (Set of 4) | Short Plastic Stackable Pantry Bin (Set of 2)

Bins, bins, bins! You have to see what sizes are best for your home, but these are great!

Refrigerator Organizer Drink Bin | Freezer Bin

The same goes for the fridge-specific ones. Measure, see, use, and get that accomplishment feeling that you feel your life is under control!

Kaloh Storage Cart

And sometimes a kitchen just needs a cart, you know? There are a lot of great ones out there, but I really liked the look and size of this one🙂

The Garage

Garage Tool Organizer Wall Mount | DIY Garage Wall Shelves (Set of 4)

When organizing your garage, absolutely USE THE WALLS. It frees up space on the floor, and as you can see from these cool organization products, it really makes of difference, and they can hold A LOT.

Stack-up Container | DAMMÄNG

Now, I might get some pushback for recommending pretty bins first. But hey! I love pretty things, and these bins look great, with good reviews. That added fluting detail adds so much.

WeatherPro Heavy-Duty Latching Utility Tote Set (Set of 4) | Christmas Storage Bin (Set of 4)

Here are the heavy-duty ones. I love the simplicity of the black ones (great for standard storage). But one hack that you’ve likely heard (and my bestie just did) is to buy color-coded bins for at least the bigger holidays, like Christmas and Halloween. That way, when you’re going through your garage or attic, there are zero questions on which bins you need to pull.

Power Tool Organizer Wall Mount | Battery Organizer Storage Box

Good tool storage is super underrated and will massively improve your life (and garage) if that’s something on your list. This one is only $40!! Then you may have heard me talk about my wall-mounted battery organizer storage box before because I LOVE IT. I know where all of my batteries are at all times, and that makes me feel a little more put together.

The Office

File Storage Box | Portable File Box with Lid Organizer

This blue file box is another piece I personally own. It holds a shocking amount of paperwork, and it’s held up great for the past couple of years. 10/10 if you don’t have space for an actual cabinet. If you want something a little more grab-and-go, this portable file box with lid organizer is perfect for that, with its top handle (and the fact that it’s slimmer).

Wooden Desk Drawer Organizer Set | HARVMATTA

Desk organization products often get ignored in the big storage convo at the beginning of the year, but they shouldn’t! Of course, having a cute pencil cup is awesome, but having these little trays in a drawer will really help keep things in place. I also love this modern desk box that can kinda hold anything. On the site, they have a couple stacked on a shelf, and it looks beautiful.

Last but not least, the shoe/entry problem.

The Entry

Fluted Hidden Shoe Storage Cabinet | Wood Shoes Storage Cabinet

You can always do a big basket by the door (great for kids), but if I can help it, I don’t want to have to see a pile of my shoes by the front door. These two cabinets are really great versions of the IKEA one that Sara used in her living room above. They have texture and color, and of course, versatile.

That’s it for this big ole organization products post! Hope it sparked any needed motivation, and just remember to purge before you start organizing. It’s the main way to truly feel like your home is refreshed and fully put together.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Farmhouse Pantry Reveal

Y’all. I don’t know how to describe it, but the design of this house is FLOWING out of me. My ideas are coming fast, and they are so fun, and I can barely contain my excitement. The other weekend, our kids were gone all day, and Brian was watching college football, so I tucked myself into my bed, threw on Sullivan’s Crossing (you don’t really need to pay attention, but it feels warm), poured myself a glass of white wine, and designed the hell out of the kitchen and bathroom. By 10 pm, I was almost done with the general look and feel and materials. I was almost sad that I was done because it was so unbelievably fun, and yet I loved my ideas so much that I really don’t need/want to rethink them. Everything clicked so fast, and I was in such a flow state. I always love the beginnings of a big project – the dreaming stage is full of possibilities and novelty. But the most fun ideas are usually nixed due to cost and practicality. So what makes this one different???

1. No one has to live here full-time. Therefore, I don’t need to think about where my kids will put their shoes, how well lit the kitchen needs to be during the winter, where we’ll watch TV, or how annoying it might be to not have big closets or a pantry. THIS HOUSE DOES NOT NEED TO BE PRACTICAL. 

My goodness, how much fun is that? I’m not saying I’m going to intentionally make it impractical, but I feel like I “practicalled” my way into having some less exciting rooms in my house (which I love and living in our house is a dream, honestly). Let me be clear – I BELIEVE strongly in practicality, especially for families and even more when you are spending your life savings on a renovation. I designed our home to function well for our family and dogs for decades (because if it doesn’t, the collective frustration is on me). I still tried to do a lot of special things (an impractical kitchen island, a repurposed dresser as a vanity, vintage doors with antique doorknobs that fall out constantly), real marble everywhere, but I really did think about practicality for our family ad nauseam. WELL NOT HERE!!! 

2. I can make more exciting choices. One of the reasons I often stay safe isn’t just because I don’t want to have to rip things out when they get dated (which I don’t), it’s that I can tire of looking at something bold (it’s an occupational hazard), and I’m fearful of acting on trends that I’ll regret. So in my own home or my brother’s, I didn’t want to do anything WILD that I would eventually wish was more timeless (for the hard finishes). I also avoid chaos at all times, including visual chaos, so keeping the color palette safe and quiet really helps. My approach has always been to play it timeless and more practical on hard finishes, go nuts with furniture/decor. Not saying that this should be yours, and certainly some of my favorite designers go nuts with tile in a way that I think is so inspiring, but hold back for whatever reason. 

For this house, I’m treating this more like a restaurant or hotel – it’s a place that we’ll experience, but not live 100% of our time inside. More novelty, surprise, boldness, excitement, because we won’t be in here all day, every day. 

Since we are DIY-ing a lot of the easier-to-do projects (painting, tiling, cabinet-making), I am giving myself permission to do the weirder, more custom thing (if I can actually do it, lol). For instance, typically an intricate tile configuration gets you in trouble with your tiler and a much higher quote/cost. This time I’m going to do it, which feels really freeing – I’ll be the one annoyed that I chose something hard, but that’s on me. It oddly feels less stressful than trying to convey to a contractor and then to a subcontractor that I want to do this weird thing. Maybe I’ll fail at it, but again, that’s all on me. 

3. There are no time constraints. No deadlines. No rush. Ironically, I think it’s going to go faster than I originally thought, but that’s because I’m excited, not because I’m being externally pressured to do things quickly. 

4. There is no general contractor that will understandably charge a lot, and likely tell me my idea is odd and expensive to execute (it might very well be, and I might be my own worst enemy). No invoices that make me nauseous and make me wonder if this was the right life choice. I’m forcing my brother to be my personal consultant, but that’s different than hiring a full-time contractor. Of course, I’ll be paying subs and buying materials, but it’s more on my terms, there is no markup, and it’s spread out over time. I can find the least expensive roofer in Portland if I want to (I won’t), and if they don’t do a great job, it’s on me.

5. There is no disruption to our family – it’s simply added value to our lives. My risks and mistakes will annoy or affect no one but me. If the kids don’t love their band room? They’ll live and have more grit (LOL). If Brian doesn’t love the tile behind his urinal? Pretty sure our marriage will survive.

6. We aren’t opening up or moving walls, which means I don’t have to decide the perfect electrical plan or miss an opportunity to plumb for a pebble ice maker or pot filler. The constraints of the remodel mean I don’t have as many annoying decisions to make. 

7. Brian has given me full creative control. I did have to promise that I wasn’t going to do totally weird things that I know he wouldn’t like (and remember, he is getting his precious urinal). I promised him he could help choose anything for the kids’ band/game room (pretty sure he just wants to pick out a pinball machine). And listen, designing your own home with your partner when you are a designer, and he is, well, a man, is never not challenging. We’ve tried different levels of involvement in different homes, and they’ve all led to a healthy amount of frustrations and celebrations on both sides. I love collaborating with him on life (25 years in and we’ve never been better), but no, not on design projects. So I begged for creative freedom on this one, and he hesitatingly granted it. He’s nervous. When I had the epiphany that things don’t need to be practical, I came out of my room screaming with excitement, which I think understandably scared the crap out of him that I might do some highly wack things…I promised him that yes, some will be unconventional, but they’ll be cool. And don’t come at me with the “you give him too much power, shouldn’t you have the right to do what you want as the designer?” No! I mean, I get that some of you might want me to be all-powerful but we are a 50/50 partnership, and I don’t tell him what to do or how things are going to go, and neither does he. It’s far more fun to communicate, compromise, and, plus, it avoids all the pitfalls of a power imbalance, even though, yes, I am the financial supporter. Just because I make the money does not mean I get to make more decisions – imagine if that were the opposite. When it comes to our home, we have mostly done them together, and I’m also really excited to have some creative freedom in this space. Watch out, Brian! This might end up being your favorite yet!!!

What Does This All Add Up To?????

LOW PRESSURE. 

It’s incredibly freeing. Of course, I still have the whole internet watching, but I don’t know – I’ve gotten so used to that part and have released the expectations from people that don’t know me. Of course, I want you guys to like it (I don’t consider you the “internet” – that’s Instagram). And I know that having a well-designed space is simply best for business (good design = more partnerships + more traffic), so I can’t just do weird things that look bad on camera or fail in a few months. I’m really hoping I can bring you into it in a way where you’ll feel invested. This just feels like a creative laboratory and is worthy of some mother-loving fun. 

I’m also fearful that my optimism right now might change, either due to internal or external forces. I’ve learned that anything can happen in this game, and we can’t predict anything. So I’m moving forward with the designs and feeling really, really excited.

I’m Using A New Design Program!

Oh, and I’m using this new design program that I can’t wait to show you, but it’s making this all sooooo much easier. As you know, I don’t have the rendering skills that most designers do (SketchUp, AutoCAD, even Photoshop), but I signed up for Spoak, and I’m having a BLAST. More to come, but it’s so freeing to be able to play with layout, materials, and even plumbing and electrical placement on my own, without having to rely on my team (or an outside contractor) to make tweaks. Highly recommend it if you have a design project, especially if you want things to be accurate and, like me, don’t have fancy rendering skills. It’s also very fun.

So What’s Next?

Well, I want to dial in the design some more, using the Spoak AI programs to flesh things out. But meanwhile, I’m finding local artists to teach me how to do their craft – not so that I can actually do it, but just because I think it will be so fun to learn and show you the process. So I’ll be making our tile (working with a local ceramicist), making the stained glass doors to a special room (with a stained glass expert), and get this, constructing some really basic kitchen cabinetry (I need a carpenter to help me on that for sure). I’m basically doing things the most complicated way possible, in the name of learning. So no more “simple but special”. This house is going to be “complicated and exciting” (but not like a circus house, I promise).

Opening Image Credit: Photo by Kailtin Green

Well, that was fun. The DIY demo of the guest cottage was set for a random morning recently, and Brian and I had enlisted the help of my brother, Ken, who was “born to demolish” (my parents will agree). I had never done anything like this before and frankly thought I would take to it easily (I’m strong! I like getting my hands dirty!), which perhaps isn’t as true as I thought. So here’s how it went, how much it cost, how long it took, and what we actually demo’d out.

The “Kitchen”

The kitchen was teeny tiny and in very vintage condition. It all had to go, and only the floating shelving was usable.

The island was actually unattached and super easy to just throw in the dumpster, but the cabinets were STRONG, hard wood, and a lot harder. If they weren’t covered in lead, they would make fantastic firewood. I have no idea why there were two sinks, both of them super heavy and in bad condition.

During DIY Demo:

Turns out I’m much more of a homemaker than a home breaker. I just didn’t trust myself swinging the sledgehammer with the amount of force needed to do the job. I was hesitant, likely because I’m kinda clumsy. I’m also the type of person who picks up a piece of furniture without clearing the way or making sure that it will fit where I intend for it to go. In other words, I can be kinda reckless and not very careful, so I was scared that if I really went for it, it would bounce back and hurt me or worse, Brian or Ken.

Under The Stairs

The area under the stairs had the vintage wood-burning cooking stove, cabinetry, and old hot water heater. Thank god for Ken and Brian – these things were heavy and we needed some serious muscle.

During DIY Demo:

Now that it’s empty, I can lay out the kitchen with more proper measurements. I’m playing around on Spoak (a design program that is meant to be really intuitive yet powerful for people like me who don’t know AutoCAD or SketchUp). I’ll show you what I’m working on soon – it’s incredibly fun.

The “Canning Room”

BEFORE:

This room had all the aluminum cabinetry from the 40s or 50s, not in the best shape. They were actually super easy to remove and really lightweight. It’s a really big room with high ceilings and walls/ceilings that need to be repaired (and done properly).

During DIY Demo:

We were able to pull out the cabinets, and Ken or Brian could carry them on their own – VERY strong men, these two. These were a lot easier to remove than the wood cabinets in the other room, which were solid.

The “Gardening Room”

This room mostly just needed its old floor to come out so we can start fresh – either with a framed floor or poured slab (leaning towards framing it for plumbing reasons). More on that later. Now this part was really tedious for Brian (it was too dangerous for both of us to be doing it – he had to full force rip it out with crowbars, and no one could be within 10 feet of this man. This took him the longest, probably 2 hours just in here.

Here’s How It All Broke Down:

We rented a 30-yard dumpster – my brother thought that 20 would be enough, but we’d have to be more strategic on how we put things in because it can’t stick above the edges. He was right – 30 was perfect. It cost $950 + pickup/delivery, which I think totalled around $1,200. They dropped it off on a Thursday and picked it up on the following Tuesday.

We were done with most of the demo in 3 hours. Ken was gone after lunch, and then Brian stayed to finish the floor, which took longer.

I was not nearly as helpful as I thought I would be. I mostly schlepped things to the dumpster because I just didn’t love swinging that sledgehammer as much as I thought I would. I just didn’t trust myself not to hit something that would fling across the room and hurt someone. I’m naturally way more inclined to take care of something than use my brute force to destroy it. I was very, very, very grateful that Ken and Brian really thrive at using their strength to demo out this house – really takes all kinds 🙂

Now, this demo job was pretty easy because we didn’t need to open up the walls – no old drywall to remove or gross insulation. The walls are either paneled and so pretty (not removing) or are already open. We had already removed the asbestos (except the knob and tube wiring), so it was really just some cabinets.

Wait, So You Aren’t Opening Up The Walls At All???

If you are already wondering how we are going to put plumbing and electrical in without opening up the walls, that’s a fantastic question. My hope is that unless an electrician is willing to pop off some panels and thread through that, we’ll likely explore feeding electrical through exposed conduits. The UK has a lot of great brass conduit system options that go on the outside of the wall (they have a lot more stone/plaster/brick buildings, which they don’t want to demo out). So I’m looking into what is legal to use here (I’ve found Jim Lawrence and The Workshop Below). We can hide plumbing more easily since we are keeping it only in that kitchen corner of the house, OR feeding it under the house to the new bathroom. But the lighting and outlets will be more of a thing, which is an exciting challenge to solve. I’ve looked into copper conduit or painting conduit, but would love any and all suggestions. Is there an American company that does pretty conduit systems? I know I can buy the parts from the UK companies, but their plugs and light switches are obviously not compliant with our systems, so unsure what I would do for those.

What About Heating And AC?

For heat/cooling, we aren’t doing a ducting system. We are doing Quilt mini splits (have one in our gym and LOVE IT and excited that I can panel it to match each room. I might be convinced to put heated floors in the bathroom and not put a mini split there. GreenSavers is coming soon to quote and map it out, so I’ll know what we are in for soon.

Next Steps?

Well, I have the foundation repair scheduled for early December, likely 5-7 days of work (shout out to Foundations First, they have been super on it thus far). You can do simple repairs without a permit or engineering, so that’s what they are doing. I’m still figuring out what permits we need (or if the individual subs will pull them). It’s not my strength, but I do have so many design elements to show you that I’m really, really excited about. I’m pretty intimidated by the permitting process – I jumped on a free 15 minute consultation with the city where I felt like I was in trouble the whole time but I think it’s their job to have you try to get every permit possible (I don’t think anyone believes that we aren’t going to use this as a rentable ADU but we really aren’t!). I’m enjoying it firsthand and since this is such a public project, we aren’t doing anything that might not be considered 100% above board. I’m also not stressed about it at all, which is lovely (again, since there is no rush getting it done).

*Pretty Photos by Kaitlin Green

You guys. I’m having so much fun with the design of this house (our guest cottage). We don’t even know what it will be used for, but I do have some ideas on future function, which are informing our decisions. So if you want inside my brain (not sure I’d recommend it), here is what is knocking around up there: 

• My home office (and a place to hold meetings outside of my house). I’m still not interested in having an “office” where everyone has to mandatorily attend daily (there is a reason none of us chose typical office careers), nor do I want the expense (our office in LA was $5k a month). But none of the Portland team loves “working” in my personal family home (this is unspoken, and no one complains, but the novelty has worn off). Of course, we have to be inside for photo shoots, but as far as meetings, writing, editing, etc, having a non-kid mess/dog barking area would be GREAT (right now everyone works from home unless prepping and shooting). I scramble most mornings to clean up breakfast and the makings of school lunch before everyone gets here to varying degrees of success. So upstairs would be an office, downstairs could be our “break room,” and then the “canning room” could be a potential podcast space (just throwing it out there and slowly manifesting it).

• Band/game room. Charlie plays the drums and Elliot plays the guitar, so this would be the perfect place for them to rock out together. We do like being “that house” where all the kids come over, and I don’t take that hosting responsibility lightly. So creating a room that they can hang as teenagers (ideally in an analog way) sounds nice and safe to this mama. Do the neighborhood tweens and teens need this space? Obviously not. But it’s a “if we build it, they will stay… safe” situation while not helicoptering. (We are big Jonathan Haidt enthusiasts over here – free rein with safe boundaries). 

• Potential aging parents (or us) to live. This could play out in a few different ways. If we ever needed to take care of either of our parents, we want to make sure there is a bedroom and shower on the first floor with minimal steps. This means not a bath/shower combo but a walk-in shower. 

• Furthermore (and my actual lifetime fantasy that I’m already manifesting), should either or both of our kids want to, say, raise their family (our grandkids) here, Brian and I could move out to the Guest Cottage and we’d have our intergenerational family compound of my dreams!!!! Brian laughs when I talk about this, but I’m DEAD SERIOUS. While I want our kids to go fly, live in a huge city, build a meaningful independent life, etc, and eventually I’d love nothing more than being this close to them and their kids. I’d be so helpful, I promise! (Trying to be low-key about my enthusiasm as to not scare them off or be painfully try-hard or uncool, but as of now, they both want to do this, LOL). 

• A place to stay during photo or film shoot rentals. We recently rented out our entire house (every room was used) for a massive commercial shoot, and frankly, it’s an awesome way to make money (with almost no actual costs or overhead). I’m really proud of this house and property, and I like sharing it more than most people would with other people (strangers, even). So I’d love to keep renting it out for photo/film/commercial shoots without totally displacing our family (we stayed in a hotel with our dogs mid-week, which wasn’t easy on anybody, but totally doable). This is our third time renting it out to others (I’m not involved at all), and it’s 100% worth it.

• Selective fun events. While we will never likely turn this into anything too commercial, if a friend’s kid wanted to get married here or if someone wanted to rent it out for a 50th birthday party, we would totally consider it (unsure of the permitting or legal liabilities of this, BTW, we aren’t in a hurry, so we haven’t done the research). So having more places to sleep (and a bathroom that you can enter from the outside) is something to consider. I’ve also considered ADA designs just in case. 

So, can I design this guest cottage to work for all of the above scenarios, not knowing if any of them are actually going to be a thing? YEP. But doing this exercise has informed our decision. Here is what has been the biggest change… 

The New Downstairs Bathroom Location

We originally were going to do the easiest and cheapest bathroom under the stairs – teeny, teeny tiny, but I’d make it cute. The sewer and water connect in the corner of the kitchen, so bringing it over to the stairs underneath the house, like 10-12 feet, is pretty easy (our foundation repair team was going to excavate to make room for plumbing). But man, it would be small. The shower would be 30″ max, which is doable and legal, but VERY, VERY SMALL. Fine… But then… Additionally, the kitchen would remain extra EXTRA tiny, using the same existing kitchen footprint (before fridges and dishwashers were invented). To try to shove a small fridge, sink, range or cooktop/stove, and dishwasher into that corner was impossible. In order to make it work, I nixed the range and dishwasher, and we were going to do a 2-burner cooktop and a countertop toaster oven as the “oven”. Again, all fine and still better than most of our apartments in New York, but then… We realized we didn’t know what we were going to do with the “garden shed” or the blue former prop room. So basically, we were trying to shove two of the most functional and important rooms into the tiniest space, compromising both of them drastically. Meanwhile, we have two empty rooms with no real use? If we put the bathroom elsewhere, I could use the area under the stairs to put the fridge and pantry space!

I threw this idea out there a few weeks before demo, and Brian nixed it, citing that it went against our original mission for this house, which was low renovation cost and just “making it work”. BTW, I will likely be doing some splurgy design stuff, so this isn’t to say this is a budget or cheap project – we just really want to work with what we have versus opening up all the walls, rearranging the house, and spending the money where we are excited to spend it. But as we were demo’ing (more on that soon), I resurfaced the idea and with the help of my brother, Ken, (who is a contractor) we were able to convince Brian that bringing the plumbing an additional 10 – 15 feet through the newly repaired foundation into the former gardening shed is actually not that expensive (getting quotes now) and will make the house SO MUCH BETTER. 

Brian was concerned that the bathroom would be too far away from the main area, but I’m not at all. People will figure it out. And I love that it’s going to have a door to the outside because we have SO MANY massive family/neighborhood/school events here, and having a dedicated party bathroom so that people don’t have to come inside the house is HUGE. 

But you want to know what really sold him? I promised him a urinal in this bathroom. You guys, men are so simple. Next time, I should just tell him it’s our sex bathroom, and he would have thumbed up on it so fast. He’s so excited about the urinal, and I’m legit really excited to make it work (post coming soon on how I can possibly make a urinal look not disgusting).

Lastly… We Are Keeping The Toilet Upstairs

Going through this exercise of potential future uses also helped us make the decision to keep the toilet and sink upstairs. Originally, we thought we’d keep it simple with the bathroom downstairs and nix the one upstairs, which wouldn’t require the same amount of permitting because we’d just be swapping “one for one” (not adding). There are often sewer consequences when you add more water/toilets. But we already had to upgrade our sewer to be basically the largest one possible when we redid our house, so while this does require additional permitting, we think having a powder room upstairs is important, should anyone ever want to sleep up there. We have the space and it’s directly above the kitchen, so plumbing it isn’t an issue (the line is already there, though unsure if it will be used). And hell, upgrading the sewer all the way to the street was so expensive that I at least want to get the use out of it 🙂

Over the weekend, with kids both at friends’ houses overnight, I started designing the kitchen and bathroom, and y’all, I am having SO MUCH FUN. I’m working on my theory as to why this one feels different to me, which I can’t tell if you are going to hate or love (not the design, but the reason behind it). So stay tuned on that, too. I’m finally in the flow and want to write about it and think about it every day, which I think is a fantastic sign of real alignment. More to come soon!!

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

One of my biggest goals around my first “new build” was ensuring that it didn’t look “builder grade,” especially since my brother wanted it to be visually simple and not “fancy.” If we didn’t customize the finishes to the exact right amount, it could look basic, but too much could look overly designed (for what they wanted). They/we wanted this house to be simple and streamlined (so not a ton of bold patterns, wild details, etc) and yet it had to feel high-end and designed (not just “selected”). She’s a big house with a lot of plumbing opportunities – 4 1/2 bathrooms, a mudroom, kitchen, and laundry room, and I needed variety in style and finish. Five years ago, I pitched Kohler my brother’s river house project because I knew that stylistically (and quality-wise) it was very aligned (they had just launched their Components line, which I had and loved at the mountain house). Their house is contemporary, warm, streamlined, with at times a slightly traditional bent, and yet every room was going to be designed just for them. When you are lucky enough to have a partner doing all of the plumbing (which is obviously not typical), it gives you an opportunity and a challenge to really stretch the design for each room. It was not one and done, folks. Here’s what we chose and why.

In February of 2022, we all met at the Kohler Experience Center in LA  – Max Humphrey (who co-designed some of the rooms early on) was there for a different job, and my brother, SIL, and my family were escaping the rain for a Presidents Day weekend in Palm Springs. The showroom there is incredible and a designer’s dream – you can touch, feel, use, and look at all the finishes in person. We selected most of them for each room that day. And we did…

We had a decent idea of what we wanted before going down (otherwise, choosing them all in one day would have been very overwhelming). There were a lot of opinions and styles of sharing said opinions. Two chefs deep into their crafts, trying to cook the same meal for two customers (but I’m related to one of them). Here’s how it went down.

Me: I can make most styles and finishes work, but I have favorites, preconceived wants per room, and I have a particular way of mixing styles that requires allllll the context and other finishes to be determined. You could say: “It’s me, Hi, I’m the problem, it’s me”. (I personally think that my process works for me, but admittedly, it can be annoying.)

Max: He knows what he wants, is very opinionated, and once he decides something is the right choice, he doesn’t change his mind. Like ever. As you can imagine, our processes are so different (one could say I’m annoying with how I can waiver, question myself, question the design, etc) and this could have been a hilarious reality show that day.

My little/big brother Ken: He doesn’t care until he does. He trusts me completely, and when he really cares about something or has a strong preference, I really listen and value it. He wants things to work, function the way that makes sense to him, and not be delicate/fragile.

Katie: Like Ken, Katie trusts me a lot, mostly agrees with my opinions, and doesn’t really want to have to assert her opinions. But when she really loved or disliked something, I absolutely listened and rarely needed to push back (they didn’t want a tub in their bathroom, which I forced them to have, for instance).

The Kitchen

The kitchen has two faucets and sinks – the main island and the bar. These were the first faucets we chose and here’s why:

Faucet | Sink

1. Stylistically, we all agreed the Crue is very beautiful (that gooseneck arch is perfect).
2. The single hole look is the preferred style in this more contemporary house.
3. The one-handed lever is easiest for cooking (I have a hot and cold, and it’s fine, btw, but technically this is just easier).
4. The pull-down faucet with the sprayer makes it easy to wash things without dealing with a separate fixture.
5. The vibrant brushed moderne brass was their favorite over polished (I could have made either work). I like every finish, TBH, but Katie and Ken were most attracted to this finish.

Faucet | Sink

Function and form, folks. This is why I love Kohler.

The Mudroom – My Brother’s Favorite Sink

Sink | Sink Legs | Faucet

The mudroom was where my brother went rogue for a second (the sink is not contemporary), and he was so enthusiastic that I happily did not rein him in. He wanted this free-standing sink somewhere in the house so badly. Max was on board, and Katie and I were hesitant (it’s so traditional for how modern everything else was), but like I said – I know that I can make (almost) anything work, and I really, really loved it on its own, so I welcomed the challenge of making it work. Also, Ken is so amenable in the design process, so when he really connected to something design-wise, I really wanted him to have it.

Sink | Sink Legs | Faucet

I think the combination of the traditional, cast iron sink with the modern cabinets looks pretty dang cool. He also really loved this more industrial pull-down faucet, which I thought felt more utility room than kitchen.

Sink | Sink Legs | Faucet

The sink also has a huge basin, the ability to put a cutting board on it, and just some fun bells and whistles. Could I have made it work in the kitchen? Maybe. But at this point, Anne had already laid out the kitchen with the sink on the island, which could work in a quirky cottage way, but felt like a stretch for this house. We love it in here.

The Downstairs Guest Bathroom

Mirror | Sconce | Vanity | Toliet Paper Holder | Faucet | Sink Handles

Remember the Components line I used in the mountain house powder bath? Well, there are even more “Components” to choose from. You can mix and match different faucet shapes (I like this arched gooseneck) and handle styles (I love these large round knobs). We put it on the blue-ish black small vanity, and it helped the quieter neutral room give it some depth.

Showerhead | Showerhead Arm and Flange | Thermotoer Valve Handle | Volume Valve Handle | Handshower | Toilet

I love how we put the shower components easily reachable from outside the shower. And while a downstairs guest bath technically doesn’t need a hand shower, this would be an easy place for them to wash their dog, so we included one here.

Showerhead | Showerhead Arm and Flange | Thermotoer Valve Handle | Volume Valve Handle | Handshower

Volume Valve Handle | Handshower

The Powder Bathroom

Faucet | Mirror 

This bathroom was the biggest U-turn, TBH. My brother really wanted to use this double-wall-mounted utility sink, but Katie and I, at the last minute, agreed that it belonged in a different house. We are going to use it downstairs in their basement gym at some point, but because it was plumbed for the other sink, we couldn’t choose a wall-mount faucet (which is fine, I like both, but this kept us limited).

Faucet | Mirror | Hand Towel Holder

I love how the arch of this one echoed the mirror (also Kohler), and the square base added a nice geometric contrast.

The Upstairs Guest Bathroom

Drain

In the guest and kids’ bath, we went with the Purist line (which is a classic at this point) in vibrant brushed moderne brass. I love how simple and graphic this line is. It’s very easy for your eye to read it; the lines are just very satisfying to the eye.

Shower Trim Kit | Transfer Valve | Handshower | Handshower Hose | Handshower Wall Mount

While there are other options to choose from, I really love the cross handles – they are a great mix between modern and traditional (thus transitional) and could honestly work in most homes

Vanity | Toilet Paper Holder | Faucet

I really love the hefty weight of the bottom of the faucet and that swoop at the bottom – such a pretty shape.

The Laundry Room

Sink | Faucet

In this room, we added a third finish to the house (which, yes, is a good idea), with Kohler’s vibrant polished nickel. Now, polished nickel is certainly timeless, having a huge resurgence right now. I prefer it over polished chrome (which has a blue undertone), with nickel being warmer. I also prefer polished nickel over brushed nickel (if you want my opinion). It’s just such a neutral (think about it – it’s just a shiny warm gray and gray works with almost anything).

Sink | Faucet

We could have done a gold tone in here, but there was something calming and more “fresh” about using this tone in a laundry room, especially with that blue. And don’t get me started on that utility sink – I just really love it. It has such a pretty shape, not to mention function (deep), and I love how it sits inside and on top of a cabinet – adding height and a nice shape.

The Kids’ Bathroom

Mirror | Faucet | Sink | Vanity

Not all rooms want or need wall-mounted faucets, but if you are opening up the walls and doing or redoing plumbing, it’s definitely a way to make things look more high-end (and free up counter space). In the kids’ bath, we used the Purist line again – modern without being hyper contemporary.

Vanity | Toilet | Hooks

Tub | Rite-Temp® Bath and Shower Trim Kit | MasterShower® Transfer Valve Trim | Wall-Mount Handshower Holder | Round Two-Function Handshower | Metal Shower Hose

We continued the same line in the shower because it is all of our favorites (especially Ken and Katie’s). While you can mix and match lines in the same finish in the same room (and I did in the primary bath), I usually only do it if the components don’t come in all the plumbing fixtures I want. I like mixing finishes between lighting and plumbing fixtures, but if you want the safest bet, I’d go same line + same finish in the bathroom like we did here.

Mirror | Faucet | Sink

The Primary Bathroom

Wall Light | Tub | Rain Showerhead + Shower Arm | Showerheads + Shower Arm | Handshower | Wall-Mount Handshower Holder | Metal Shower Hose | Thermostatic Valve Controls

Saving the best for last (IMHO), the primary bath. This line in the shower, Statement, had just launched when we were at the store, and we were all pretty blown away by it. It felt contemporary in a really simple and streamlined way (not trying too hard to do something new, but felt so fresh and still does).

Rain Showerhead + Shower Arm | Showerheads + Shower Arm | Handshower | Wall-Mount Handshower Holder | Metal Shower Hose | Thermostatic Valve Controls

The racetrack shape is so pretty and has a lot of different spray functions (as seen in this reel that went viral). The rain shower is an option (fun fact – men love rain showers, women tend not to because we don’t like to water in our face as much since we tend to have more steps in the shower). This bathroom is a great example of all the faucet configurations you can have in one wet room – rain shower, showerheads, handshower, tub filler, and tub hand shower.

Showerheads + Shower Arm | Handshower | Wall-Mount Handshower Holder | Metal Shower Hose | Thermostatic Valve Controls

I absolutely LOVE the knobs and push components on this one. It looks like it’s “smart” as in electrified, but it’s just controlled in a push-and-turn mechanism that is super intuitive.

Thermostatic Valve Controls

Tub | Bath Spout | Handshower | Wall-Mount Handshower Holder | Metal Shower Hose | Thermostatic Valve Control

Bath Spout | Handshower | Wall-Mount Handshower Holder | Metal Shower Hose | Thermostatic Valve Control

The faucet line, Statement, also comes in 12 different finishes – the classics, as well as pretty alternatives like French gold (champagne-y). I’m a massive fan of this line, and it shows that Kohler continues to innovate even after 150 years.

Mirrors | Ceiling Lights | Faucets | Handles | Sink | Towel Bar

For the sink, we chose the Components line (the Statement line didn’t have sink faucets then) and went with a more squared off version to showcase a different profile. It’s simple and straight and felt that it contrasted nicely with the shower (and you don’t really clock that they are different, to be honest).

Mirrors | Ceiling Lights | Faucets | Handles | Sink | Towel Bar

The Components line also comes in 12 finishes, in addition to so many different spout and handle shapes. You can see the entire line here.

We really tried to take a holistic view of the house, with each room being cousins, but not twins. Mixing finishes and styles without going hyper traditional or too modern. We stuck to three finishes (mostly 2 – Black and Vibrant Brushed Brass), and they are all just so high quality and feel like one big, holistic collection as you weave through the house.

Of course, we chose all the Kohler vanities, towel rods, toilet paper holders, mirrors, and many light fixtures as well. It was an incredible partnership that was such a win/win/win. Now, if you didn’t catch some of the reveals, they are all below. Feel free to deep dive on all of them (see the vanities, toilets, and all the stunning tile), and I’m sure it helps you make some decisions if you are pre or mid-renovation. It can feel overwhelming, for sure, but I love the ability to customize and mix and match within Kohler’s lines that I’ve grown to love so much.

Kitchen
Mudroom
Primary Bathroom
Powder Bathroom
Upstairs Guest Bathroom
Downstairs Guest Bathroom
Kids’ Bathroom
Laundry Room

*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

Every few years, a product explodes into the marketplace, and you can only say “finally” with equal parts relief and enthusiasm. Quilt is that for me this year. Mini-splits are famously huge and bulky, look like plastic, and are such an eyesore (and impossible to disguise, especially in an older style home!). Quilt not only heats and cools better, but it can be disguised in your room, not taking away from the overall design. Hallelujah. Form meets function, folks. As someone who was about to put a bunch of ugly mini splits in our 1850s guest cottage, I was lamenting how bad they were going to look against all our pretty old beadboard. Then I saw my friend Brady’s partnership with what seemed to be a very attractive and simple alternative. I reached out, did the research, and am THRILLED to be part of the solution to replace ugly mini-splits with this new genius invention that’s actually attractive.. Even if you have no intention of ever needing an all-in-one heat and AC unit, keep reading to see what good product design looks like. It’s like the Apple of home tech (and works extremely intuitively). Let’s break it down.

Wait, What Is A Mini Split?

It’s a standalone heat and air conditioning unit that you can opt for in rooms where you don’t want to redo or put in an entire HVAC ducting (which is painfully expensive and laborious). Instead of being inside the wall, it’s essentially hung inside the room where you need to heat/cool, with a portal to an exterior heat pump right outside (so it has to be an exterior wall). You opt for it for outbuildings (like our gym), or if you did an addition and didn’t want to tie into your HVAC, it will do the job on its own. The Quilt unit can heat or cool up to 480 sq. ft. of space. The unit on the outside is a heat pump, which basically moves temperature from inside to outside. This means you get localized control (like in a hotel room), without the inefficiency of window AC units and the inconvenience of space heaters. 

Why Is Quilt Better Than The Others?

It’s not like I’ve tried every one on the market, but we had a crappy one in here that never worked, and boy was it ugly (this could have been our former contractor’s fault – not my brother, btw). The gym was super cold in the winter (we had a small heater) and like a sauna if you worked out past 11 am in the summer. PROBLEM SOLVED. But more importantly, it is the most efficient mini split on the market with an industry-leading SEER2 of 25, HSPF2 of 12, Energy Star certification, and their Auto-away feature (again, it’s a 2-zone heat pump, which is more energy efficient than a typical heating and cooling machine). We used heat pumps in our entire house for this reason. When it comes to sustainability, my philosophy is not to replace something that works fine for something that works better, BUT if you are in the market for a new one or if, like ours, yours is broken, then you sure should get the thing that works the best (should that be in your budget).

So, Why Is The Design So Great?

Yes, it works great, but what got my attention is that you can customize the front to be any color and almost any finish. So that means you can wallpaper it, you can panel it with beadboard, or even wood! It comes white or with a white oak front (the white would be what you’d want if you are customizing).

The unit itself is also so compact, unlike other bulky mini-splits. It’s only 7 7/8 inches tall; many others are pushing a foot! You pop the front panel off (so easy, I did it myself), then wallpaper or paint it the color of your walls to disappear.

We obviously chose white here to blend in, and in our guest cottage, we’ll put whatever paneling is in each room on the front. It’s honestly GAME CHANGING, especially for those of us who have a vintage home that would be drastically compromised, design-wise, if we had to use the bulkier old type of mini split.

Is It Hard To Install?

We hired Greensavers in Portland (shout out to them – they did an incredible job, in and out in 4 hours!!). Hanging it on the wall inside is super easy (it just goes on these cleats), but the wiring on the outside is what you’d need some experience in (or again, hire out for). Here’s the breakdown, really quick:

1. The exterior unit has to have clearance around it (both to have access to air as well as per local codes)
2. You’ll need an electrician to do the electrical work.
3. You need to make sure you have enough power at the source and that you can tie in easily. If this seems like a barrier, know that many companies, like Greensavers, will execute the entire job, so you don’t have to think about it (again, ours took 4 hours – so fast).
4. Everywhere charges differently for the install; however, Quilt’s is in line with the industry.
5. The hole behind the unit is pretty small (about 3″), so you don’t need to worry too much about your framing, but you will need to make sure you have something to anchor to (a stud).

How Do You Use It?? Is It Easy??

One of my first questions to the Quilt team was “how smart is it, because I like a little smart but not that smart”. I do NOT want something with so many bells and whistles that I can’t figure out how to turn it on and off, and should it ever need repairs, no one else can either. It’s my personal opinion that we are over-teching our things in our home (TVs on the fronts of fridges, anyone?), which honestly just makes them more vulnerable to problems and creates so much frustration (for me, at least). Quilt is extremely simple and intuitive.

1. It’s both a wall-hung thermostat (the “Dial”) and an app. If I forget my phone in my house, I use the wall dial. If I’m on the Peloton and I want to cool it down or turn the heat off, I use my phone app. So easy.
2. You can set it at a specific temperature and never need to change it. One and done.
3. You can schedule it to come on and off at certain times – like we have it set for Monday – Friday to heat up to 65 degrees starting at 5 am (but not the whole night) and then turn off at 11 am. In the summer, we both work out in the morning (and having the doors open is lovely), but if we wanted to use it in the middle of a hot day, it would cool the entire room down from 90 degrees to 75 in minutes (room size TBD).
4. You can have multiple rooms on the same app, just labeled separately. Extremely easy.
5. There’s a very helpful (and money-saving) feature called ”Auto-Away” that can detect if people aren’t in the room and will turn off the device for you. They tested it in a 3-bedroom home, and they cut their energy use by 44%!
6. I even love that the wall dial plugs in, so I don’t have to worry about changing batteries!!! It’s a sleek white cord (so obviously install near an outlet).

I’m famously tech-adverse and was able to download the app and figure it out all by myself (I made the Greensavers expert stand next to me just in case, lol, but I didn’t need him :)) But if you have an installer make sure that you are all set on your app before they go just so you don’t have to think about it.

Is It So “New” That We Should Worry About The “Bugs” Getting Worked Out?

This has happened to a lot of us – a new product launches, but then the better version comes out the next year (as was the case with our Soake pool – integrated pool covers now! and our cold plunge integrated cooling unit now!). That’s fine if it’s something easy to replace or upgrade (or in those cases if it works as-is just fine), but for anything renovation-based, I do NOT want the beta model that might still have tech bugs (fine if the design changes to be even better – thus is just innovation!). So I asked Greensavers, candidly, this before I committed (they aren’t the inventors of the product, just the installers, and they use all brands). He reassured me that the unit has a classic heat pump mechanism that has been perfected for years and years – i.e., they didn’t reinvent a new type of heat and AC, they just redesigned what already works efficiently to be better for the consumer (both in the sleek design and the simple app/Dial). But what’s even cooler is that they have what’s called “over-the-air” updates. What that means is that as their technology evolves, you can update your existing mini-split without buying a new one! I think that’s using technology in the best way possible because you don’t have to replace an old unit that will likely end up in a landfill, but instead you get to improve the one you originally bought. More of this, please!

I’m extremely excited that there is now a product to solve all our bulky mini split woes. I wanted to try Quilt out here first, with just one unit, to make sure it works really well before committing to multiple units in our vintage guest house restoration. But knowing that I can get efficient (and powerful) heat and AC in that house, clad with our pretty beadboard to disappear and not ruin the look of the vintage room, is a real gift. Of course, now I want one in the garage instead of our stupid Cadet heater, but unless Quilt builds a time machine, I guess I’ll live with that for a bit.

This post is indeed sponsored by Quilt, a partner that I pursued and am so glad to be a part of its success.

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

Fall is trend season. And while we’ve already chatted a bit about fall-specific trends (and followed that up with some supplemental shopping), I’m ready to look a bit more forward into next year and beyond. One of my favorite things to do as a design editor is to forecast, and, tooting my own horn, I happen to be pretty good at it. In my decade-plus of doing this work, I’ve pinpointed decor trends as far as a few years out, which frankly, feels very rewarding. I get that few have the bandwidth to hear about something that’s going to be huge—I swear!!—in 2029, so instead, I’ll tighten the slack a bit and just peer into 2026.

What’s bubbling up to the surface that’s interesting, inspiring, or comforting? What’s right in front of our eyes but under-the-radar enough that your house doesn’t look like a rip-off of every content creator online right now? Well…the following five things, I believe.

The tricky thing about writing an article on decor themes, items, and motifs that haven’t quite yet “hit” but I’m betting will become more mainstream is that there aren’t many pictures to support my cause. “Look, I can’t prove it or show you, but my gut is telling me…this is the next big thing!” Sure, Arlyn…

And while I do believe that what you’re about to read encompasses all things with legs, based on what I’m noticing at the high end of the market (where it all starts), what I’m seeing percolate in stores and design trade shows, it doesn’t really matter. If you love it, DO IT. The only thing I think trends give us is accessibility. Suddenly, that obscure material or color you love can be picked up at your next swing through IKEA, for example. And because fashions come and go so quickly these days, it’ll feel fresh again when everyone has moved on and you’re still into it. Live your truth, babies, whether on trend or not. Deal?

Okay, let’s dive in.

#1: Teal

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A post shared by Nicola Harding & Co (@nicolahardingandco)

I’m starting with the most obvious trend: the color teal. I’d say no one has come out and just outright said teal is in, but that would be a lie. WGNS, an international trend forecasting company, named “Transformative Teal” the color of the year for 2026. Now, every paint company around also comes out with their own color, and so far, only one other has picked a blue-green tone (Behr’s Hidden Gem). It makes sense; we’ve all loved and used blue and green, respectively, to the point that we probably don’t even know how to make it feel new anymore. Enter: An efficient combo of both colors! It’s been about 20 years since we last saw teal (or, as we referred to it then, peacock blue) rise to the top of the color pack, but I’ve gotta say, I’m ready for it. Just look how powerful and dreamy it looks in this seating nook by Nicola Harding & Co.

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A post shared by Reath Design (@reathdesign)

It can feel so refreshing, like a well-timed breath mint, like in this bedroom by one of my favorites, Reath Design. Note to self: Mix teal with buttery yellows, creams, and rust.

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A post shared by Zoffany (@zoffanyfw)

While I’ve seen teal being used more and more on walls and surface materials such as tile, never underestimate the power of upholstery. Sure, an armchair (especially these days when everything costs a fortune) is an investment, but it’s far less permanent than tile or stone and a great way to sprinkle in a daring color without it being overly in-your-face. Bonus points for some fringe, like this punchy little number by Lauren Doyle Grant.

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A post shared by Sarah Storms | New Jersey based Interior Designer (@styledbystorms)

The above photo, a design by Sarah Storms, actually showcases a whopping THREE trends I’m going to be discussing today, but I’ll save the non-teal talking points for later as not to give anything away. Anyhow, I’m a big fan of how well teal works with warm woodtones. As we move more into browns and darker wood hues, it’s easy for a jewel-tone like this one to really be a star if you’re after a design that feels friendly, yet elevated, yet saturated.

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A post shared by RUE (@ruemagazine)

If you’re sitting here thinking teal has to be all moody, I hope this image from Rue Magazine designed by Jenny Keenan Design proves otherwise. In a room that gets great light, it can feel downright effervescent. Pair it with white and brass for a crisp aesthetic.

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A post shared by Lauren Doyle Grant (@laurengrantdesign)

Another one by Lauren Grant Design, I do really love teal in a bathroom paired with rich woods and plenty of spa whites and grays.

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A post shared by Architectural Digest (@archdigest)

You’ll have to scroll one photo over in the above carousel for the example I want to point out, but it’s a good one (again, with another trend I’m going to talk about if you keep reading). This kitchen in a home by Atelier LK via Architectural Digest is contemporary without feeling austere due in great part to the teal cabinetry.

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A post shared by Owl Interior Design (@owldesignlondon)

Another great bathroom example, here by Owl Design London. It’s a cool monochrome look broken up by a variety of textures.

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A post shared by the materialist (@thematerialist.co)

And finally, teal in a more organic, low-fi application. Try it on some bedding or even just a throw to punch up a neutral color palette, as seen here in a bedroom I found on The Materialist Co.

#2: Vintage Glass Chandeliers & Sconces

Moving on to one of my favorite home categories: Lighting. Metal, linen, and even paper have all been the rage for a few years, but more and more, I’ve been noticing vintage Italian glass chandeliers and sconces coming into the picture, and I LOVE IT. They’re so romantic and posh. Let’s look at a few.

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A post shared by smac studio (@smac_studio)

One of the beautiful things about this type of lighting is the soft colors that can be incorporated, like the rainbow-like combination here in a space by Smac Studio. It’s quiet yet speaks volumes and is definitely eye-catching in a way only a few things in a room can be. Has it always been there? Is it new? It’s a lighting enigma.

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A post shared by Hali Rugs | Est. 1979 (@halirugs)

Again, by Smac Studio, the same design of the chandelier in the previous kitchen shows up in hushed pink in a stately wall sconce.

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A post shared by Designandart (@designartobject)

Once you look past that INSANE jade green island, you start noticing some of the other details of this fancy kitchen by Constanze Ladner, like the beautiful glass sconce on the left wall. Something opaque or metal would have been expected (and still lovely), but the smoky glass is a delightful, surprising moment.

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A post shared by Arent & Pyke (@arentpykestudio)

Wow, that sconce. Gorgeous. That vintage piece has the ability to cut through all the newness of this bathroom by the Australian firm Arent & Pyke. Stately and textural without screaming.

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A post shared by Arent & Pyke (@arentpykestudio)

Arent & Pyke at it again (with some teal via the desk in the mix, too!). The caption for this image notes that this is a 1970s Mangiarotti chandelier, and it’s amazing to me how something that’s 50+ years old can still come off so modern.

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A post shared by Architectural Digest (@archdigest)

Glass lighting fixtures aren’t just for fancy and elaborate rooms. They can add some serious tension (in a good way, like I wrote about here) to earthy rooms and design aesthetics as seen here in Arch Digest.

#3: Lacquer & High Gloss Finishes

And so we reach one of the trends I’ve hinted at twice already in the above photos, though it’s seen more than the two times I mentioned it. High-gloss is coming, people! After years and years of matte finish everything, lacquer is back. Honestly, this one kind of crept up on me, but it wasn’t until I was perusing East Fork looking for something that I noticed their new gloss finish. I thought, “Hmm…is this a thing?” The more I dove into it, the more and more I started to see it kind of everywhere, specifically in product. For example:

And….

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A post shared by Doco (@docosus)

I’ve even been noticing it a lot on finishes like tile, cabinetry, and wall paint:

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A post shared by ATELIER HA (@atelierha)

While this isn’t a shopper post per se, I did want to drive my point home with this little round-up of high-gloss-finish product, from coffee tables to lamps to dressers and sideboards. It’s everywhere, all in candy colors. If it weren’t for the fact that lacquer scratches very easily, I’d be all over this. I’d say stick to one to two high-gloss pieces per spa for maximum impact.

Top Row, From Left: No Handle Design Shiny Drawer Accent Chest | Bruno Coffee Table | Metal Table Lamp
Bottom Row, From Left: Simple Style Sideboard | Visby Side Table | Wright Rectangular 48″ Lacquer Sideboard

#4: Arts & Crafts Style

On the total opposite side of the spectrum from high-gloss modern lighting and furniture, we have Arts & Crafts style. This “trend” may or may not hit as widely as something like the color teal, but I’m telling you, it’s brewing. I think it’s an answer to all the curvy and glam looks we’ve been seeing the last few years, which is funny, because that’s loosely why Arts & Crafts came to be in the first place both in furniture and in architecture. After the Victorian era and the industrialization of furniture making, this style was an answer to mass production and ornateness (from around 1880 to 1920). It was seen as a return to quality craftsmanship and the beauty of wood in simple forms. Arts & Crafts celebrated joinery and wood itself.

I’m lucky enough to live in a part of California where both Arts & Crafts and Craftsman homes still stand and I have to tell you, they are a site to behold. For those new to this, Craftsman (and Mission) styles were the American offshoot of the British-born Arts & Crafts style. Mission is a leg of Craftsman, and Craftsman is a leg of Arts & Crafts (i.e, all Mission is Arts & Crafts, but not all Arts & Crafts is Mission). They all have similar spirits with streamlined works where wood reigned supreme.

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A post shared by NINA FARMER (@ninafarmerinteriors)

This is an Arts & Crafts home that designer Nina Farmer (another favorite of mine) worked on for a client in Massachusetts. You can see more of it on her profile, but it’s so beautiful, particularly that staircase railing. The sleek, humble, and special warmth of A&C works well in modernday homes because it’s easy to mix in with flashier silhouettes. It’s very grounding.

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A post shared by Interior designer – Antonia Stewart (@antoniastewartltd)

A&C furniture often had special little details like the hearts in the chair highlighted above in a room by Antonia Stewart.

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A post shared by Madeline Stuart (@madelinedstuart)

This room, by Madeline Stuart, just glows! It includes a mix of English, French, Chinese, and American Arts & Crafts pieces against the foundation of A&C architecture (look to the left to see the gorgeous joinery around the mantel of the fireplace). It’s so calming, has so much heart, and is built to last a lifetime.

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A post shared by Lichen [Lī-ken] (@lichennyc)

How good would this chair be in a subtly designed room? You can see that Arts & Crafts lacked ornamentation, unlike what came before it, but it was still distinct and artful in its own way.

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A post shared by Stickley Furniture (@stickleyfurniture)

Stickley Furniture is the best-known example of American Craftsman-Mission furniture, and it has a long heritage of exquisite craftsmanship. I used to think Stickley pieces were boring, not a fan of the vertical slats common to this style of furniture, but I’ve grown to really appreciate them. The above is a gorgeous 125th anniversary bench by the company that features rare intricate inlays. It’s an heirloom piece (with a price to match).

#5: Wallpaper Borders

Somewhere, in some universe, my mother is still removing all the wallpaper borders in my childhood home. Wallpaper borders (and painted/stenciled borders) were such a staple of 1990s decorating, but well…they’re back. Gone are the blueberry bush branches, chickens and English rose gardens, though. Much of what we’re seeing is geometric, slender, and punchy. Think more “trim” than a six-inch ceiling belt like the days of yore. I gotta say, I love it in the right space.

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A post shared by Ottoline (@ottolinedevries)

You can find wallpaper borders in a handful of places like Etsy and Rebel Walls, but the best ones are from UK companies, like Ottoline de Vries (above).

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A post shared by C o m m o n R o o m ~ (@commonroom.co)

I’m especially fond of these slender borders around windows and doors. It’s kind of like a fun ribbon detail that draws the eyes up and around a room. This one above is by Common Room, again, out of the UK.

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A post shared by Susie Atkinson (@studio_atkinson)

I know the last few examples I’ve shown are fairly British, layered and graphic like this character-filled space from Studio Atkinson’s account, but today’s wallpaper borders could also be amazing in a simpler, stark modern space.

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A post shared by Children’s Wallpaper & Kids Decor (@atelierflorentine)

I do suspect scallops have reached a fever pitch, but a little wallpaper border in the shape is still very, very cute, especially if just in one small area like a reading nook, as above by Atelier Florentine.

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A post shared by Susie Atkinson (@studio_atkinson)

And finally, these thin borders can certainly be used to create the illusion of molding. Take a look at the second photo of the carousel from Studio Atkinson above for some inspiration.

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This is where I leave you. Five trends-in-the-making deep, feeling ready for fresh ideas (even if many—or most—are call backs to styles of eras past). As always, I’d love to hear what you’re thinking after getting down to this point. I know not everything is for everyone, but if it were that way, how boring would design and decorating be, am I right? Let’s have some fun. Until next time…

Opening Image Credits: Design by Emily Henderson | Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Kaitlin’s 70s Inspired, Colorful And Cool Living Room Revealed (Y’all, I’m So Jealous)