The River House – Emily Henderson

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

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

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

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

Let’s go back in time…

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

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

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

Ceiling Lights

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

The Tiled Fireplace

Fireplace Tile

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

Hanging A TV On A Tiled Fireplace

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

My #1 Goal with homes …

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

The Scenic Doors

Sliding Doors

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

The Final Reveal

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

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

Hallway Ceiling Lights | Entry Rug | Game Room Planter

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

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

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

Entry Rug | Large Faux Tree

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

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

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

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

The Oscar Sofa | Blueprint Wall Sconces

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Entry Rug

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

The Walls

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

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

Cabinet Paint Color | Glassware | 4 in a Row Game

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

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

R ug | Chairs | Table

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

Planter

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

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

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

Chandelier | Decorview

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

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

Putnam Ladder

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

Green Stool

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

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

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

Chandelier

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

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

Game Room Resources:

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

The River House’s Cozy But Modern Dining Room Reveal!

Emily — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the river house dining room reveal – such a warm and inviting landing spot with the prettiest views, a cozy fireplace, and a painting that my brother still doesn’t know if he’s into (but he hasn’t taken it down yet!!). It’s adjacent to the kitchen, with a shared color palette, and I layered it to be so warm and textural.

The Tile

Tile | Grout

Three years ago, Max and I picked out the tile from Ann Sacks, a really simple but textural, smaller brick tile that we stacked horizontally to create a big, quiet focal point with even a mid-century vibe. My sister in law likes neutrals and didn’t want to go bold at all, and fell in love with this simplicity (and didn’t want to take away from the view).

We couldn’t decide on the grout color – for good reason, grout is a stressful decision because it changes the look of the tile and the room, and is really hard to reverse. We ended up choosing the top right – a medium gray with slightly green undertones that created depth and a pattern, but not too dark or stark. Remember that choosing a lighter grout can work, but often you lose the idea of the stacking grid effect – so it can look more like a wall of texture rather than a more graphic geometric pattern. We wanted the pattern 🙂

One of my most favorite details is how Ann Sacks sells these corner pieces so that you don’t have to miter the edges – see below. It’s just so pretty!

You’ll notice that the tile is exactly the width of the fireplace, meaning no awkward, smaller pieces on either end. This was due to JP (our contractor) doing the math with the tiler (grout size has to be factored in) and essentially building out the structure underneath to make sure that it was exactly 19 across. These details make such a difference to those of us/you with a design eye.

Faux Tree & Planter | Artwork | Rug

We finished off the interior box with black Schluter that you can’t really see. Oh, and no, I don’t know what brand the firebox is, and yes, it was legal to put it on wood (they passed full inspections, so I think the specs of that box were fine!).

The piece of art is actually a collage of a really famous painting called “Portrait of Hanne Wilhelm Hansen” by Vilhelm Lundstrøm. An artist in LA recreates these with paper collages, and she gifted me one years ago that I have been hoarding for the right place. The colors are so perfect in here!! We used a command strip, so we didn’t drill into the tile or anything. My brother and SIL were on the fence about it – I think they like it as a piece of art, but it just didn’t feel like them and felt a bit intense in here, which I fully understood. I told them to live with it for a bit and, let’s just say, it’s still there!

The Layout

Chairs | Table (no longer available) | Vase | Mug (similar) | Rug

Anne Usher, the architect, designed and laid out the room with bench seats along the window and a fireplace – not only for warmth, but to add some design elements so it wasn’t just a box with windows. So then furnishing it was pretty dang simple. At the time that rug was in my collection and pulled the greens from the living room (which I can’t wait to show you), and used our 9×12 here. Then I was slow-moving to get them a table and chairs, so Katie found this table from Rejuvenation on clearance (and was available for local pickup). She sent me a link, and I said, “Go for it”.

The Dining Chairs

Chairs

I found these chairs online that checked all our boxes:

Upholstered seats and back – Not only did they want for comfort reasons, but this room needed softness and texture to make it feel warm and inviting.
Large scale and sturdy – My brother does NOT like chairs that are giving fragile or dinky, these needed to be side and comfy (but we didn’t want all armchairs either).
Kid-friendly, i.e., not a light fabric – The color also had to work with the stools and the furniture in the living room, since it’s a big open space.

There is a real hole in the market for colorful dining chairs, but I think that’s mostly for design-forward folks (meaning, maybe there is a hole for a reason – because most people are scared of that level of color commitment. At one point, I almost just had them buy my green dining chairs from Crate and Barrel (with a different rug), but I loved the backs on these, adding a pretty line and shape. They bought 8 of them, but didn’t want all 8 out on a normal day, so they have two in the family room that they can bring in here when needed.

The Window Shades

Decorview

We partnered with Decorview on the entire house for window treatments, and everyone was excited to use their motorized shades in here. The style of the entire house is pretty minimal, so we chose a soft, warm texture that worked well with the wood and wall color. They are all on one remote that is so easy to open and close (which they do, daily).

The Light Fixtures

Chandelier | Sconces

We worked with Rejuvenation on the light fixtures and chose this lovely linear and graphic chandelier that gave them ample light (no recessed lights in here) but wasn’t so busy that it would take away from the views behind it. Fun fact is that at first we had clear glass shades because I thought that would allow us to see the view even more, but it actually looked much busier (I think the bulbs inside and all the reflection were just distracting in this case). Once we swapped out the glass (Rejuvenation’s customer service was very nice), all of us said it was so much better.

Chandelier | Sconces

The sconces are actually vanity lights that can go horizontal or vertical, but since we had such a slim area, we thought they would look great here (and they do). Both fixtures are in the unlaquered brass, so they’ll patina a bit over time in a good way, but look pretty quiet in the room. At one point, I regretted not doing a contrasting finish (like black metal) for both, but now that the entire project is done, it really just feels simple and seamless, holistically. This look isn’t right for all styles of house, mind you (a more traditional house might want more contrast in finishes), but for this style, I love how all the finishes are simple, leaving the attention to the wood and views.

The Bench Seat!

This house has a hilarious amount of bench seats. And we even nixed two upstairs. Was this one needed? Not really, but boy is it fun to sit there and stare out the window, plus for me it was an opportunity to add some color and pattern (otherwise the room would have been just wood and cream). So I was really glad that they designed them into the plan. I used this opportunity to push Pollack fabric on them – the velvets are just so beautiful in patterns that really edged up the room. Then I styled them with pretty simple pillows to add even more texture and warmth.

Pollack Fabric | Cream Pillow | Gold Velvet | Blue Fringe (similar)

I love how they turned out! Oh, and yes, all of the bench seats are in fact storage drawers. I didn’t want them to have hardware so that they would just read more simple (and not just look like dressers all over their house), but fun fact – it’s a push mechanism that your heel hits perfectly and you accidentally open them all. the. time. I hope this is more funny than annoying 🙂

We thought this was a pretty opportunity to set the table and add a lot more color, texture, and warmth. They ended up keeping everything (most were from World Market and Crate and Barrel) so they could recreate when they had nicer dinners.

Faux Tree & Planter

The faux tree in the corner is excellent (from West Elm!) and added a bit of softness and color on the left. The room really connects so well with the kitchen and the living room – all the finishes, colors, and textures share similarities, but it still feels customized and special.

You can see here how it all flows together with the kitchen. Designing open spaces from scratch is actually a lot harder because of this. You don’t want everything to match (so boring), but it needs to make sense together. I love how all the lights work together, the colors (green island, green rug), and the pops of black in the lights and charcoal seating.

Don’t forget to play with the sliders to see how it looked before we furnished and styled it 🙂

I personally think that all the fabrics, colors, and styling really made this room come alive. I was definitely worried at a certain point that we didn’t make enough strong, bold choices (which we didn’t really), but now that it’s all done, I am reminded that a neutral palette is so easy to layer on to make it what you want.

Dining Room Resources:

Tile: Ann Sacks
Benches: Custom
Bench Fabric: Pollack
Main Wall Color: Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams
Sconces and Chandelier: Rejuvenation
Faux Tree: West Elm
Chairs: AllModern
Rug: Rugs USA
Window Shades: Decorview
Windows by Marvin Windows and Doors
Flooring: Stuga

BIG REVEAL DAY: My Brother’s “River House” Textured, Modern Kitchen Is Done!!!

Emily — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Welcome to my brother’s new River House modern kitchen reveal. She is open, minimal, textural, and hyper-functional for their family of four. We LOVE how it turned out, and when you walk through the house, it flows so well with the design as a whole. The colors, textures, and minimalism keep everything calm while the styling and furniture pop. Let’s give you a tour (and see the family in action).

Now this kitchen was a design collaboration (like the rest of the house) between myself (I’m the sister), Max Humphrey (local designer), and Anne Usher (architect). My job was to be involved where there were partners – the tile, plumbing, and lighting, which meant that I was pretty hands-off with appliances and cabinetry. But this was a clunky way to do it because everything affects everything, design-wise, and you can’t have different chefs making different entrees for the same meal. That’s all to say that Max and Anne deserve a lot of credit for the layout, overall flow (Annie killed it), and some of the hard finishes. I took over with some of the other elements (and all the styling, stone, hardware, and lighting). Heck, maybe this collaboration worked because it turned out pretty darn great. At a certain point, I became so emotionally invested that, despite not being a “hired designer,” I wanted to see every room through to the end since it was such a huge part of my life for so many years.

Bar Stools | Stacked Bowls | Vase (unavailable) | Cake Stand | Cutting Board

The kitchen lives in the middle of the first floor, open to the living/family room, dining room, and game room. So choosing the hard finishes required us to see the design as a whole to make sure that we weren’t designing a fun house.

On Choosing Tile…

Runner | Drawer Pulls | Cabinet Latch | Tile | Range

We chose this super beautiful, creamy Ann Sacks tile from the new Studio McGee line. We didn’t have the furniture locked down when we were choosing tile or stone, and Katie and Ken are pretty risk-averse when it comes to tile colors/patterns, so as you can see, the main finishes are pretty safe (if not still so beautiful). We knew from day one that they wanted a whole wall of tile to create that beautiful texture and reflection, so the overall impact is soft, quiet, and really pretty. You don’t turn the corner and scream at the boldness from color, which is good (they aren’t bold tile folk, TBH).

Also, within view, you have two huge tiled fireplaces (living and dining), so the tile really needed to work with the other choices. Now that it’s all done, I love the calm simplicity of it (especially with the green stone countertops). The ultimate vision and intent of the house remains clear – warm minimalism, with a Pacific Northwest bent.

A Non-Boring, But Still “Safe” Tile Layout

Grout | Tile

We laid out the tile in what I dubbed a “double stack stagger”, where two tiles are horizontally stacked on top of each other, but then staggered 1/2 way over two more stacked tiles (hard to explain, just see above). It was slightly more midcentury and a bit unexpected. We went through all the options (the horizontal or vertical stack or the traditional stagger/running bond), and this felt like a really great complement to the other tiled fireplaces in the room. Katie and Ken were nervous, but I felt that it was such a safe risk, so I pushed, and they agreed. We chose a really neutral grout, Platinum by Prism, that added some dimension without too much busyness (but not a bright white). I LOVE how we put it behind the hanging cabinets (which Max designed) so you can see the tile through the glass. It’s subtle but so pretty.

The Pendant Lights

Pendants | Sconces

I was so excited to finally use Blueprint lighting. I’ve been a fan for a while, but since my house is so vintage, it didn’t feel as right there. But this kitchen felt simple enough that adding some more sculptural pendants, almost like art, over the island was the right move. These are called the Montera pendants, which have a lot of different metal and enamel color options from both the shades and the stems. We chose Slate, which at times reads way more blue, which was the intent (other times, like in these photos, they are more gray). The black sconces over the bar are from Rejuvenation and complement the Blueprint pendants really nicely, while pulling in the hits of black we have around the kitchen.

I love how the more delicate shape of the shade contrasts against all the hard lines of the wood, and the reflection of the shiny metal pops so well off the wood. Once they were up, I actually decided that black stems and canopies would be better and ordered them to replace the gold. It felt like they were just disappearing too much. But as the room came together (and as we kept putting off calling the electrician back), we decided that these look great.

The Bar + Coffee Bar

They have a separate cabinet run for the bar (that opens to the kitchen patio) and houses their coffee situation. It also has drawer fridges and a pebble ice machine (like brother, like sister). The window is from LaCantina Doors, and I had nothing to do with it, but it’s pretty dang awesome.

As you can see, we chose unlacquered brass hardware from Rejuvenation, in handles, knobs, latches, and appliance pulls. Once again, their selection and custom options can really make your project look special. We were hoping to reduce contrast here by choosing the brass, but I think black could have looked hot, too. I just love how the brass patinas, even in a contemporary house like this.

The Brass Faucets + Purified Water

Planter | Faucet | Sink | Berry Basket

The faucet is a Purist Kohler pull-out bar faucet (in Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass) for washing veggies and for drinking water. Over here, they have the Culligan water filtration system, inside the cabinet below, that gives them extremely purified water (all the things are filtered out, including microplastics). Listen, Portland doesn’t have the best water, so I’m jealous of this and might get it for myself now (especially after all the very recent microplastic reporting). It was a super easy install for them (harder for me, as we have less clearance in our cabinets, so stay tuned on that). The faucet comes in a lot of finishes, and Kohler has so many different styles, but we thought that this one was contemporary and transitional – not hyper-modern but fit stylistically really well.

Faucet | Sink

The kitchen faucet is so gorgeous. It’s Kohler, in the same Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass finish, single-hole pull-down. It can have a regular water flow or a more shower-like spray. It’s a one-and-done faucet for those who want a lot of function in a really simple shape.

The Green Leathered Stone Countertops

I wrote about the process of choosing the stone here, but with the tile being a creamy white and the cabinets being wood, I was desperate to bring in some color and something punchy. We had Caesarstone on board to trade the countertops (which is a super durable choice that Ken and Katie were excited about), but I was just so worried that without color in here, this kitchen would simply put, look boring (and I told them that). So I found this green stone from Elmar, and thankfully, they were on board (nervous, but they trusted me). It felt so perfect since the green of all the trees outside was a huge part of the interior color palette.

We had the stone leathered, which enhanced a lot of the veining and gave it more of a matte textural finish. Be warned that it needs to be sealed IMMEDIATELY afterwards because theirs wasn’t, and there was an immediate ring from a sub that no one took responsibility for, but was very expensive to remove. Not sure why it wasn’t sealed when they leathered it before it was on site, but it was one of those dumb blame game situations that is unfortunate during a remodel. And I felt so responsible because I was the one who forced natural stone on them, but you can barely see it now, thank goodness.

The counter stools are from CB2 and are pretty much perfect in here (which is why I forced them to buy them). Since you mostly stare at these stools from the back, they needed to be interesting, and that mixed leather/metal finish is just so architecturally striking (not to mention being comfortable, and family-friendly since it’s a dark fabric).

The biggest debate that we had at the beginning of the design was whether you want to face the river/view while washing dishes or eating at the island. It’s really just a personal preference. At one point, Anne even tried the sink cabinet run at the window with the kitchen island behind it, where the range wall is. Lots of opinions on this one! I LOVE how Anne ultimately designed the layout, and having spent a lot of time in the house, sitting at that dining table is just so special, and the kitchen is so close and so inviting.

Wait, Where Do You Keep The Food???

I totally forgot to mention that there is a big walk-in pantry in that hallway where they have a second small fridge, their built-in microwave and steam oven, and tons of cabinets and drawers for food. We’ll shoot it eventually, I promise 🙂 You’ll see the dining room soon. But for now, let’s get to those before and after sliders 🙂

It’s a real case for keeping hard finishes simple, and the power of styling and decorating. I can’t stress this enough – you don’t want to redo the hard finishes, but it’s so easy to switch out almost everything else based on your style shifting.

I’ll show you the living room soon, but know that you can see the TV from the kitchen, should there be a big game on – you can even cook while watching the new season of The Bachelorette that we are all VERY excited by.

It’s a super easy to live in, easy to keep clean, dreamy kitchen for this family, and I feel so lucky and grateful to be part of it (and hang out here).

Kitchen Resources:
Plumbing: Kohler
Water Filtration System: Culligan
Windows: LaCantina Doors
Tile/Stone: Ann Sacks
Cabinetry: Custom
Main Wall Color: Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams
Pendants: Blueprint Lighting
Sconces and Hardware: Rejuvenation
Stools: CB2
Flooring: Stuga

The River House Entry And Staircase Reveal (+ Why We Designed The Stairs This Way)

Emily — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wood Sconces | Flushmounts

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

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

Chandelier (no longer available)

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

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

The Finished Staircase

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

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

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

Stacked Artwork | Wooden Mirror

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

Entry Rug | Sconce

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

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

The Front Door

Ceiling Lights | Flooring | Wall Color

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

Entry Rug

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our U-Shaped Sectional – The Bennett

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

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

The Paint Color + Vibe

Wall Color | Roman Shade | Pollack Bench Fabric

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

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

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

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

The Curtains And Shades

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

Chandelier

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

The TV And Built-In Cabinet

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

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

The Game/Homework Table

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

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

Wall Mirror

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

“Before” and after slider time!

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

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

How To Choose Paint Colors That Are Happy But Not Too Bold – The Full River House Paint Color Palette

Emily — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +0000

If you like big macro “how the sausage is made” posts, this one is for you. The art direction of this house was pretty clear from the get-go, four years ago. The intent was to create a warm, contemporary home that was family-friendly. It’s similar to the mountain house, but with more color. When you live in sunny southern California, you can get away with a lot of white walls, the light bouncing around, delighting your eyes, but in many other places (I’m learning), you really need color to make your eyes happy year-round. And when I say “color,” for this house we leaned more tonal – nothing BIG or bold. Of course, a pink bedroom might be bold to you, but not to us 🙂 We partnered with Sherwin-Williams on this house because they have an incredible assortment of paint colors that are very high-quality, many of which I have relied on in the past over and over. I’m pretty obsessed with this color palette and would use it all over and over again.

Choosing the right white…

Living Room/Kitchen/Dining Area/Hallways – Alabaster SW 7008

from: river house move-in tour

I have found my new favorite white!!!! If you have ever been driven crazy by staring at a billion different white tones that look identical to a non-expert, you are NOT alone. This is why designers have their go-to whites that they use over and over and over again. Well, I’ve found mine. We obsessed about this white for the right amount of time – we chose 10 peel-and-stick samples, stuck them all over the house, at different times of the day, on different walls, and stared at them like psychopaths. We finally chose Alabaster SW 7008. A very balanced white – slightly warm, without being yellow, more on the taupe side (but don’t get me wrong, this lady is white). It has an 84 LRV, which means that it reflects a lot of light. It looked great with the wood floor, which was mostly what mattered because this color would be in all the open spaces that flowed together – the entry, living room, dining room, kitchen (where there is drywall), and hallways. So yes, I had to really really like this white. Point is, if you need a new white, I think this is really universally good, while still having a slightly warm undertone.

The Mudroom – Rocky River SW 6215 (Cabinets) | Alabaster SW 7008 (Walls)

from: river house mudroom reveal

Rocky River SW 6215 was the first paint color we chose, and we all liked it immediately. It was actually our favorite. I didn’t have to hem and haw, and easily moved on. Thrilling! It’s a fantastic, darker green that is still subtle, while having impact. Technically, it’s green with a lot of blue/gray undertones, with a reflective value of 15 (so it’s not going to reflect light well). It looked so pretty with the white oak flooring.

Library Shelves – Malabar SW 9110

A sneak peek into likely my favorite room, the game room. This room is clad in wood, so we wanted the cabinets and shelves to pop a bit, but not be the star. So we chose a neutral tone, which we properly obsessed over. We wanted to pull the lighter tones of the wood out without going to pink, yellow, or brown. It was hard!! Thank goodness it was exactly what we wanted because the labor for painting custom cabinetry is so expensive (regular drywall can be easily DIY’d, but cabinetry is specific). Malabar SW 9110 is a light taupe, they call it a “sandy beige” with slightly yellow undertones and a 54 LRV.

Family Room – Evergreen Fog SW 9130

This room is meant to be a darker, cozier retreat of a family/TV room, and yet it has a lot of windows, so it can actually get a lot of natural light. So the trick with this is to choose something that has an undertone that you love, but not so much pigment that with the light it becomes overly bold. In my family room, for example, we used Still Water SW 6223, which is perfect in our dark, low-light room, but that same color in a brightly lit room would be so bold and scream TEAL. So we had to choose a color that looked cozy in the dark but also lovely in the light – enter Evergreen Fog SW 9130. This was the Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year a few years ago, and I can see why. It has so many undertones – green, brown, blue, and is just so flexible. I will say that we tried a sample of it in Brian’s office, and it read as gray there, with just a small window providing natural light during the day. It’s a color that gives a lot of movement with a little bit of natural light. But in here, it’s a really inviting green/gray neutral that everyone responds so positively to.

Frank’s Room – Studio Blue Green SW 0047

I have wanted to use Studio Blue Green SW 0047 for a long time – it’s so good. Frank’s room (my nephew) is on the south side of the house and gets pretty low light despite having two windows. So we embraced the coziness and painted it (and the ceiling) this darker blue/green. It’s so high impact while strangely being soft on the eyes. I can’t wait to decorate this room (up next!).

Guest Bedroom – Cocoa Berry SW 9078

from: river house guest bedroom

I didn’t mean to use the same warm pink twice, but we accidentally chose it again because it’s that good. Cocoa Berry SW 9078 is in my powder bath, and I love it – so soothing and inviting. It’s extremely womb-like in the best of ways and is the dominant reason why this room is where everyone wants to go when they need alone time or take a sick day. Just incredibly cozy and warm. 10/10 this color.

Laundry Room – Eventide SW 9643

from: river house laundry room

Once I saw these cabinets being painted this color, I vowed to use it in my home somewhere. Eventide SW 9643 is so soothing and calm and has the perfect amount of blue/green and gray in it. It reads as light blue, but not baby or powder blue. Getting the right blue/gray blue at times feels impossible, but this one is so pretty.

Pantry Nook – Rain Cloud SW 9639 (Cabinet) | Alabaster SW 7008 (Walls)

If you are in the market for a good navy, this one is fantastic because it is more complicated than your typical “dark navy” that often looks one-note. Rain Cloud SW 9639 is deep and rich, then cut with enough gray that it doesn’t look too bright.

The entire house flows so well, despite using blues, greens, and pinks. The warmer white is the throughline (as is all the wood), and we pulled the same colors from the paint and plugged them into all the fabrics, textiles, and art. I’m so excited to show you all the styled-out shots. A huge thanks to Sherwin-Williams for partnering on this project – it was a long time coming, and we technically aren’t done, but the colors are dialed in and we love every single one of them so much.

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

I Pushed My Brother Into Buying Very “Non-Ken” Contemporary Fabric – Another River House Sneak Peek

Emily — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

I could debate the “timeless versus trend” pursuit for hours in home design. But where I almost always land is this philosophy: keep hard finishes (flooring, windows, tile) high quality and simple/special, and then layer on the wild style/trends (to make sure it’s not boring). This is not everyone’s pursuit, nor am I saying it’s the right/only way to go, but I don’t ever want to renovate the same house twice in one lifetime. (P.S. I love being inside a hyper on-trend time capsule of a home/restaurant when it’s well done, so if that’s you, go for it). More on that below, but to kick us off here, my brother’s house has a hilarious amount of built-in bench seats, which means as their ad hoc decorator, who is heavily invested in making this house look incredible (not just “done”), that I needed to design a lot of bench cushions. Anne Usher, the architect, designed said benches while laying out the house to add elevated architectural interest and make sure that this new build didn’t look too cheap and contractor grade, not just square rooms with four walls. Plus, all the benches have storage drawers, so they serve multiple functions. Selfishly, I just love that they give me an opportunity to add color, pattern, texture, and softness. For a big house with a lot of glass and wood, textiles become your best friend and add an incredible amount of warmth, something this house needed. Now, I could have piecemealed it together, buying fabric from a lot of different sources, which was the plan. But while at our upholsterer’s shop, picking up a piece of furniture, I saw a lot of rich cut velvety patterned samples that I LOVED. When I realized they were all from the same company, Pollack, I decided to reach out and see if we could swing a trade. This blog post wasn’t even part of the deal; I just love the fabric that much and love the female-led design-forward company even more. Such an incredible patterned fabric resource! I was so excited because, selfishly, again, it meant that I could make these rooms look even better, spread any remaining budget further, and get my hands on these truly stunning fabrics. Good design elements make me look good 🙂

Why The Odd Amount Of Excitement For Patterned Fabric?

We needed some pattern in this house. If you think I’m trend/risk adverse (which I am), you should meet my brother and SIL. To avoid “trendy hard finish regret” in 15 years, this house has a lot of pared-back elements, intentionally. All the flooring, tile, and windows are simple and high quality, which I think is a fantastic foundation for a contemporary house like theirs. This was always the plan – to layer on all the color, pattern, current style, and warmth through furniture, wallpaper, textiles, and decor. But I had a pretty strong feeling that patterned sofas or even patterned window treatments were going to be too risky for them. So what would be left? Cue the BENCH SEATS. These seats act visually as furniture (because they are big and obviously can be sat on), but they are far less risky (a few hundred dollars for a new slip cover should they really not like my choices). So I begged them for free rein here, and they let me have it, while definitely doubting some of my choices along the way. But I felt so strongly about some of the bolder ones and kept pushing and pushing, with a lot of “trust me’s!!”

I Was Greedy With Samples

I had to request the samples, and I got so greedy. There simply aren’t that many great, weighted, patterned velvety upholstery options on the market (lots of solids, but like I said, this house needed some texture and patterns). Some of these patterns are so not typical for me, but I LOVE them. After paring them down, I took them over, and room by room we chose what would work (over time).

Phantom | Embellushed Plush

Phantom | After Hours | Ankara

Primary Bedroom – ‘Boxing Day’ In Field

from: river house primary bedroom reveal

This is where it all started, what I was looking for the day at the upholstery shop. Boxing Day was the pattern that I thought would be perfect in their bedroom (and was the first room with benches that we completed). I loved the linear but still interesting pattern, the textural difference (cut chenille, not printed obviously), and the color palettes. I would put this on a sofa in a second – it feels both safe and special. Originally, I wanted the black taupe color-way, but they were out of stock of it, so I chose this as a backup. Turns out this one was my brother’s favorite anyway, and it’s absolutely perfect in here.

Guest Bedroom – ‘Phantom’ In Midnight

from: river house guest bedroom reveal

I designed the guest bedroom really fast (goodness, I love a guest bedroom), with the wall color and the bench seat being the two driving design elements. I love a warm pink with a blue (as you know), and this royal blue is so punchy and vibrant. The pattern itself has some late 80s, early 90s vibes, which scared Ken and Katie when looking at the sample. But the quality of the velvet with the raised texture and the richness of the blue makes it feel really contemporary and design-forward in the best way (they love it). It’s not risky in a big, bold, high contrast way, but it’s high impact and unexpected. They also have it in a few different colors (one chosen for the dining below, as you’ll see).

Living Room – ‘Moderne’ In Reflecting Pool

The living room fabric was the one I was going to die on the sword for. I felt with 99% assurance that it was PERFECT for this room and I wanted it so badly for them (and me). It would tie together all of the colors and tones, without being too busy, but with being unexpected and rich. All parties (even Gretchen!) besides me were doubtful and unsure it was right. I usually acquiesce to such doubt (because I usually have a lot inside me as well) and choose something everyone feels good about, but not this time. I swung this partnership; if they didn’t like it, there was no financial risk to them – just let me do it! As you know, I like a curated color palette, which is not for everyone (you do you). Because with life mess on top of everything already in a room, I find that keeping the color palette tighter makes your eyes/brain/life less chaotic. This fabric had every single color in it!! So I bullied them into letting me do it. And you guys, once you see the whole room come together, I have to hope you’ll agree with me (they do now – they LOVE it and even Gretch was like, “ok, I was wrong”). Let’s just say I made a lot of snarky, “Well, which one of us won Design Star, again?” jokes (as if that gave any sort of actual expert credentials, lol).

Now this pattern is definitely 80s leaning and contemporary, and again, in a low-quality weave, printed weirdly or in bad colors, the pattern itself could be very, very cheesy (thus the risk). But Pollack does it so perfectly, with such rich colors, high-quality velvet weaving, and with a slight shine that is anything but gaudy. It’s so beautiful, warm, and soft.

Dining Room – ‘Phantom’ In Mystic

For the dining room, which you can see from the living room, of course, I wanted a color to pull your eye over there, but not to compete with the view or the fireplace. And since it’s next to the fireplace, I didn’t want anything too linear (like a stripe). So I chose the green version of the guest bedroom pattern. Again, it’s a pattern and texture (the white part is raised) while not being busy or loud. Once layered with pillows, it’s just so warm and inviting. I also wanted something not too light in here (and the whole house really) since kids live here and I don’t trust their marinara-covered fingers 😉

Family Room – ‘Brussels’ In Aubergine

In the family room, I introduced a different color that works holistically in the house and contrasts with all the blues and greens so well – this “aubergine” which could also be called burgundy or wine. The wall color is that incredible Evergreen Fog, and the sofa is in a mink velvet, part of our upcoming collection (ahem… if you are reading this super closely you deserve an easter egg :)) I wanted to shake it up and not just do another neutral or blue/green and the pops of this rich warm tone is incredible in here. It really goes to show that sometimes it’s not the color, it’s the quality of the piece and the richness of the color that makes something. What I mean by that is I wouldn’t have chosen any burgundy cotton or linen in here, but this burgundy with the cream contrasting weave added the perfect darkness with hits of lightness. It’s linear, but again not just a stripe. This allowed us to really expand our color palette in here, and I’m pretty dang obsessed with how it turned out.

Now, Pollack is “trade only”, which means that consumers can’t go to JoAnnes (RIP) to buy it. It is mostly for custom furniture pieces, so if you are in Portland, you can go to Alexander Matthews. I don’t even have a resale license anymore (because I don’t have typical paying “clients”), so if you don’t have a designer, I found a few websites that carry them. They are a boutique design company that’s known for its wide-ranging textile collection that is marked by sophisticated design, intricate construction, and nuanced color palettes so they do have a higher price point ($100 – $300/yard). But of course high-quality design and construction simply cost more, and the knock-offs of these patterns are not going to have the same appeal. They also use the top weaving mills in the world which we can see and feel. So if you are looking for incredibly special fabrics, I can’t recommend Pollack enough. Can’t wait to show you the rest of the house! xx

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

A Modern Traditional Green Tiled Bathroom (With A Last Minute Sink Pivot)

Emily — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Well, well, well…I do believe this is the last bathroom of my brother’s river house, and likely the one that gets seen the most by guests. I have an order of favorites, for sure, but this one seems to be the reigning #1 (I’m partial to the primary myself, but perhaps that’s because I’m middle-aged and love an at-home spa experience – I mean, they have a sauna inside the bathroom). This one has a punch and a pattern, and a lot of green (go Ducks!). Green tiled bathrooms for the win.

We chose the tile back when Max and I were both working on this project, and that man also loves a big green tile moment. I mean who doesn’t love a good green tiled bathroom. We worked with Ann Sacks, which has extremely good colors and really solid tile. Max felt really strongly about this tile and wanted it staggered as a 4″ square. I wanted it stacked as a rectangle, and somewhere along the line, it ended up staggered as a rectangle. I honestly don’t remember who is responsible for what anymore! But it turned out so great, and it’s pretty beloved in the home.

A Big Pivot…

I do remember that at one point, Ken and Max chose this big double faucet-ed wall-hung farm sink from Kohler that I objectively love, but as the house came together, it started to feel like it didn’t belong here. Katie felt the same. So with conflicting design visions, we looked for other options.

We had to make decisions quickly as the subs were working hard on all the bathrooms at the same time. So we played around with what we had on hand, which was a leftover wall-hung drawer vanity (seen above) that felt oddly big. But that’s when Gretchen has the idea of using our leftover tile to tile a smaller version of that wall-hung vanity.

So JP and his crews built a box for an inset sink, with the vision to tile overtop of it, keeping the look of the wall tile and running the same way. We taped it out, making sure that it worked with the plumbing that was already behind the tiled wall, while also ensuring that it was the right scale for this bathroom. It was a risk, and a last-minute one on the bathroom that the most people would see and near the end of a long project…

We ordered the faucet from Kohler, and I was so relieved that it turned out pretty darn great. Still unexpected in the house, but now that it’s fully decorated, the pattern of the wallpaper and the colorful tile work so well together. The pendants were bought from Schoolhouse Electric – modern yet traditional and on the affordable side.

On Choosing The Wallpaper

This bathroom is big for a powder bath and dark (no natural light), and just painting felt a bit dead, so once again I was tasked with finding a wallpaper that was organic and fluid so that it contrasted against the linear brick tile, but not too traditional like most florals. As you know, I’m a massive fan of the Raphael pattern for this exact reason – it has this beautiful movement without it being too busy or bold. The large scale of it works so well with smaller tiles, and the white grout pulled so well with the white background. It also felt very Oregon to me – what with the trees and such. Yes, we see it a lot these days, but I enjoy seeing it every single time.

Switchplate | Hand Towel | Hand Towel Holder | Woven Basket (similar) | Waffle Towel

The variation in the tile color is so pretty (with many shaky edges – so make sure you are up for that look). It’s just such a deep, rich green with a lot of high gloss texture.

Toilet

Can’t forget the toilet 🙂 There was enough room for a little side table, which I was on the fence about, but the gap was big, so we added it, and it looked cute.

Art

I went to my inventory of art and found that I had two more of these MaryAnn Puls pieces (I had bought and framed a bunch for my team holiday present years ago, and had a couple left over). They felt like a sweet moment in here and brought in that hit of warmth with the wood that was echoed with the stool and the wooden arch sculptures (which I bought on Amazon, last minute, LOL).

Stool (similar) | Flooring

She’s pretty dang cute and a fun punch for guests upon arrival. Actually, my whole family is coming over tonight to Ken’s for a BBQ to get a full updated tour now that it’s all decorated, which I’m super excited about. Last bathroom done!!! Don’t worry, we still have like 6 more rooms to reveal (I love them all SOOO MUCH), so stay tuned. The river house project is truly never-ending 🙂

My Brother’s Kitchen Patio Reveal (Yes, With A Huge TV….Of Course:))

Emily — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

My brother has this side patio right off the kitchen that is covered year-round and the architecture is so pretty (thanks to architect Anne Usher) so I wanted my hands on it, mostly so I could convince him to have us over for summer kid outdoor movie nights while I swim in the river. It had room for a little dining area for their family of four, a couple of stools at the bar (accordion window into the kitchen), and a living area with a huge TV over a fireplace. IT’S SO AWESOME. I pulled together the design plan (blacks, woods, and all-weather wicker for some warmth), pitched it to AllModern because I know all of their pieces are hand-vetted and really high quality. Then a few weeks later it was done

Here you can see the full space. Narrow and long, with doors in the middle breaking it all up. This is right off the kitchen and not far from the grill area, but this is more of an outdoor hang space than where they’d BBQ (likely on the back patio). The windows on the right accordion open and the fireplace to the left is topped with a big TV. Y’all, this is luxury living, TBH, and hanging out there is such a delight.

I turned it into a dope outdoor living room, with hanging swings (so fun), a big sofa, and a side chair. My main goal was to have it work with the architecture of the home (so black and wood) and be more contemporary/modern in vibe. AllModern (as per its name) has a huge outdoor inventory of high-quality modern pieces (I should know I have a lot). So I was able to quickly pull together a design plan that didn’t feel generic, had cool shapes and textures, and created a vibe but in a really curated world. Plus you can watch sports (or Shrinking in my case) out here. Imagine all the Love is Blind parties you could have out here! The Bachelor final episodes! (are we still doing that?) and Ken is obviously very excited about watching sports out here in the summer.

The swings were crucial as you want to swivel and look at the river and since they had a support beam above they were easy to hang (and feel safe) and their kids LOVE twirling and twirling and twirling. I also love that S-shaped all-weather wicker chair (which echoes the shape of the dining chairs you are about to see).

The sofa is incredible – the arms are wide enough for a drink, the seat is deep enough to snuggle up on and the cushions are firm (like all outdoor cushions should be) with softer back cushions. We stuck to the warm tone world with all the woods and wicker and it feels so appropriate. Shout out to our rug from our collection (which technically isn’t an outdoor rug, but it’s covered and we had it so maybe it will be fine?).

The coffee table is smallish, but there isn’t a ton of space there so it works perfectly to allow enough flow.

Armless Lounge Chair | Striped Sunbrella Pillow

Topiary Black Planter

A big shout out to Dennis’ 7 Dees (in Lake Oswego) for loaning us plants to shoot – how awesome is that topiary? I tried to convince my brother to buy it and they still might.

As you can see here’s how the whole space interacts and how the furniture fits so well. The sofa faces the TV/fireplace and creates a conversation area with the hanging swings and the big comfy lounge chair.

The Dining Area

I LOVE these black S chairs – they are a super midcentury/mod shape and yet they stack and are perforated – so smart for outdoor seating (and these are so comfortable). This hypermod style wouldn’t work as well at my house (at least not in the black) but my goodness they look perfect here.

Melamine Plates

The dining table is so pretty – a teak wood with really pretty wood grain and slats on top. AllModern has a huge selection of outdoor tables in a lot of different finishes and shapes/sizes so we had a lot to choose from but the size and finish were perfect with the other elements.

Black Vase | Tall Green Glass | Stool | Tote

I love these round legged stools, with a modern windsor style back. These are on the wider side so we only needed 2 and the cushions are removable (but it’s black webbing underneath so you need the cushions to sit on them).

We ordered this bar cart that matched the coffee table (please note that very cute wheel). We styled it out with the usual copper moscow mule mugs, an AllModern wine cooler, wood board, and acrylic glasses. The rest is from my prop house (which is coming in handier and handier these days :))

It’s all proof that if you stick within a curated color palette, add a ton of textures and some pattern, plus a hanging chair or two, you don’t really need to do much else. AllModern has a ton of white or lighter wood options as well – it’s a deep inventory that is still really heavily curated.

The space itself was awesome so I had no doubt I could make it inviting, but within a few weeks it was fully done. Now just waiting for the rains to stop (March has been brutal). We could be watching White Lotus out here!

A big old thanks to my team and AllModern for helping with the transformation. It’s a luxury to have for sure, but our big Starke Family BBQs are going to be better because of it.

Resources and Crediting:

Furniture and Decor: AllModern
Plants (and Propped Plants in the Garden Beds): Dennis’ 7 Dees
Photos: Kaitlin Green
Landscaping: Pistils Nursery
Architect: Anne Usher
Builder: JP Macy of Sierra Custom Construction
Styling: Emily Henderson (me:))