Arlyn Hernandez – Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com Tue, 20 Jan 2026 03:51:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-Favicon-2-32x32.png Arlyn Hernandez – Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com 32 32 We’re Banking On These 6 Bathroom Trends Being What’s Next In 2026 (& Beyond) https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/bathroom-trends-2026 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/bathroom-trends-2026#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=394910 Bathroom trends (much like kitchen trends) are a funny thing to evaluate on a year-to-year basis because they simply do…]]>

Bathroom trends (much like kitchen trends) are a funny thing to evaluate on a year-to-year basis because they simply do not move that quickly. If they did, by the time you got through the design process, material selection, permitting, contingencies and snafus, and then final install, your spaces would already be obsolete. That would simply be a ridiculous and wasteful way to live in our homes.

That is not to say there isn’t anything to talk about, though, because there’s always a new idea, color trend (like these I wrote up recently for 2026), or material popping onto our radar that makes us scream YESSSSS, including the six concepts below I’ve been noticing more and more in beautiful, finished bathrooms. Like many renovation-required trends, they tend to begin in luxury spaces, so you’ll see a lot of aspirational homes here, but that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow inspiration for your own homes from them. That, or just sit back and enjoy the show for the sake of design entertainment.

Amber-Colored Tile

bathroom trends
design & styling by brady tolbert | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

Last year was all about burgundy zellige tiles, but this year? Amber, caramel, and earthy mustard reign supreme. This color tile is absolutely everywhere right now and is so adaptable to many styles. Take a look above at the killer shower stall our friend Brady Tolbert designed in his home; in true Brady style, it’s cool, contemporary, yet warm and graphically neutral.

architecture & interior design by dunham robinson | styling by john sheppard | photo by nicholas venezia

However, here, designed by the team at Dunham Robinson, you can see a more traditional aesthetic with the chrome and stone sink, floral wallpaper, and wavy wood mirror. The turmeric-like hue works well to draw attention away from the white fixtures, which could otherwise appear somewhat sterile.

design by annie downing interiors | styling by amy bodle | photo by lindsay brown

These tiles, in a bathroom by Annie Downing Interiors, are certainly more terracotta than they are amber, but the vibes still hit the same. To me, the takeaway here is how well they play with other jewel tones and saturated shades, such as the deep, chalky blue in the other tile design.

Tiles aren’t getting all the burnt caramel love; designers like Reath Design (who collaborated with Emily Farnham Architecture on this space, shot by Laure Joliet), are using the color in bathrooms via paint, as well. How marvelous does it look here with the oxblood marble on the vanity and shower stall?

So far, we’ve seen amber tiles marry beautifully with mustard, black-and-white, denim blue, and deep red. Next up, courtesy of Pierce & Ward (shot by Michael Clifford Photography), is olive green and aqua. What a stunning way to bring new life to vintage pieces such as that sink.

Colored Fixtures

Two years ago, Caitlin wrote a piece about colored plumbing fixtures in the bathroom as something to keep our eye on (thanks Kohler for bringing these back around more accessibly!), and she was 100-percent right. And look, I know this is fairly niche, but who decided that white porcelain had to be the standard of “safe” choices in a bathroom’s design? “But you might get tired of that pistachio green toilet, Arlyn!” Well, who is to say I wouldn’t get tired of white? We can use the same logic here. If you’re designing a bathroom for home resale, it’s not worth the effort of getting it right, design-wise, but if it’s for you, and you are a fellow color lover, I say GO FOR IT.

design & styling by hannah go of studio hanego | photo by jessica alexander

It doesn’t have to be something as large or prominent as a toilet, either. Faucets and faucet handles can do the trick, too. Hannah Go of Studio Hanego selected candy-coated red Fantini fixtures for her client’s bathroom. The slap of color is just the right amount of unexpected pigment to break through the beige-and-white color palette, making it feel playful and youthful instead of overly serene.

design and styling by hannah go of studio hanego | photo by jessica alexander

Here’s another angle of the same space, where Go carried the Fantini faucet into the sink area for a cohesive design story. (That sculptural floral arrangement is by Gentle Offerings out of LA, in case anyone is wondering.)

design by hendricks churchill | photo by chris mottalini

Another tip-toe entrance into the world of lively fixtures is with a partially-colored item, like this cast-iron farmhouse basin in a room by Hendricks Churchill. And the beauty of a sink like this (or anything cast iron, for that matter) is that it can be reglazed should you need to change the color down the line.

design by jamie haller | photo by jenna peffley

This bathroom by Jamie Haller—shot by Jenna Ohnemus Peffley—highlights two of our favorite bathroom trends so far: amber zellige tiles and a butter yellow vintage sink. The room looks both like a perfectly preserved time capsule from the 1970s but also something that very much could have been designed and installed today (because it was). Good design can be appreciated no matter the decade, in my opinion.

Giving very different vibes, but the same design backbone is this happy little spot by, yet again, Reath Design. Not only is the sink itself an azure I can barely look away from, but the cross handles on the sink are a sky blue.

Built-In Tub Surrounds

design by heather peterson design | styling by rachel johnson | photo by scott amundson photography

The freestanding tub became the calling card of a luxury bathroom a decade or so ago, but as things happen, that quickly got tired, thanks in great part to property flippers and developers who would shove one into a space even when it didn’t make much sense.

And while a stand-alone tub can still be a wonderful hallmark of a bathing space, of course, don’t underestimate a built-in tub surround. No longer relegated to the second-tier guest bath, they are now being used more and more in primary suites. They have their merits, too: The overhang surface is great storage for bathing supplies, and even decor items like art and candles, as seen above by Heather Peterson Design.

design by nicole dohmen for atelier nd interior | photo by space content studio

For a bathtub surround worthy of a primary suite, it’s important to be mindful that the surround itself elevates the design, rather than drags it down. Here, designer Nicole Dohmen for Atelier ND Interior brought the large-format stone from the floor up around the tub to create a seamless visual transition.

design & styling by almo troup of trouthouse | photo by lewis robert

Here, in a bathroom transformed by Trouthouse, the small square yellow tile of the shower walls comes down around the tub insert, as well. This could have easily been a standard white porcelain tub, but the tile surround creates a more intentional design moment.

Would I be nervous to have a wooden top and sides to my bathtub? Yes, but certainly, there’s a way to make it work. Either way, it sure does look serene and spa-like thanks to the minds at Honeyedfigs that dreamt up this muted space.

On the opposite end of muted is this glitz and glam bathroom by Gregory Rockwell. I love how the red marble continues from the bathroom sink basin, tub wall, and floor, and baseboard detailing.

Fluted Glass

architecture & design by megowan architectural | photo by nils koenning

Shower details always make our bathroom trends roundup, and this year, we’re covering glass specifics. Fluted details in general have been everywhere for five-plus years, and now they’re frequently being used in contemporary bathroom spaces. Advantages include moderate privacy while allowing light diffusion, added texture, and limiting the visibility of water spots. Bonus points for a cool red frame to make the wall of glass the protagonist of the room’s design, as Megowan Architectural did here.

design by anna baranowska and joanna felczuk of butterfly studio

I’m partial to how youthful ribbed glass can come off looking with a colored door frame like in the previous project. Here, the mauve-lilac Butterfly Studio used here is quite eye-catching, don’t you think?

design by banda studio

The international design and property acquisition firm Banda Studio kept things sleek and luxurious in this outrageously covetable bathroom with a frameless fluted shower wall. The vertical lines of the glass texture add a nice rigidity to the more organic veining of the marble and Roman clay or limewash walls and floors.

Stop. Scroll to the fourth photo. Okay, now we can talk. I really wanted to show this bathroom, in the home of celeb Rita Ora, designed by Joanna Plant, for anyone thinking fluted glass is simply for contemporary bathrooms. It’s not, and certainly has a place in more traditionally minded areas, too.

Stone Basin Sinks

design by marie flanigan interiors | styling by jessica brinkert holtam | photo by julie soefer

Last year, I presented the idea of raw-edge stone sinks as a trend, and this year, it’s similar but more refined and polished. Full stone sink basins are very popular right now as they strike a balance between simple, clean lines, luxury, and an impactful visual story through dramatic natural stone.

There’s a lot to take note of in this bathroom by Marie Flanigan, including the gorgeous pinkish stone for the sink basin and vanity. The side wall-mounted faucet is a unique approach that, to my eye, keeps the focus on the stone; the pendant light on the left beautifully echoes and balances the small window at right.

design by caprini & pellerin | photo by thomas de bruyne

Cannes-based firm Caprini & Pellerin designed this elegant luxury bathroom, complete with a deep teal stone basin and countertop. I very much appreciate the slight lip detail (also seen in the Marie Flanigan sink) to limit water spill and run off. The coordinated marble frame around the mirror and lights is a nice touch to mimic the lines of the cabinet and tub in the foreground.

design by ursino interiors | styling by brittany albert | photo by nicole franzen

Raw-edge stone is still absolutely appropriate; Ursino Interiors masterfully uses the boulder effect to bring a rustic quality to a luxury space, juxtaposing polished brass and a metal window-frame shower stall.

Another beautiful example of the visual power of the stone basin vanity, this time in a refreshing spearmint, by Benjamin Vandiver.

Wall-to-wall installs don’t get to have all the fun. What a compact yet powerful statement this stone sink makes in a bathroom by Zoe Feldman.

Bathroom “Islands”

design by se déa (director: samantha birtles, senior designer: linda jilina, designer: aimee small) | styling by atelier lab | construction by robert plumb fix | photo by dave wheeler

Bringing up the rear of our trends list today is what I’m affectionately coining the bathroom “island.” Perhaps there is a more technical and accurate name for this, but I haven’t found it. Basically, what I mean by bathroom island is a freestanding unit that houses a key bathroom fixture, such as sinks or a shower.

Case in point, this floating vanity (note the fluted glass! and the stone basins!) in a space by Australian firm Se Déa. In these types of installations, the mirror is most often supported by a metal structure attached to both the island and the ceiling, which can free up valuable wall space and take advantage of positioning that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Of course, you’d need to run plumbing through the middle of the room rather than along the perimeter.

design by caprini & pellerin | photo by thomas de bruyne
design by caprini & pellerin | photo by thomas de bruyne

Another one by Caprini & Pellerin that this time showcases an unusual shower island. It’s quite a cool concept, and the center placement in the room opens up the walls to added storage, display space, and a separate vanity space.

I found this opulent bathroom design via Belgian interior architect Wouter Tousseyn. I’m fairly certain it’s a rendering, but I wanted to include it as another visual study of the sink island, as this angle helps you to see the practicality of a double-sided floating vanity, which can be used from either side by multiple people.

Pierce & Ward show that the use of a floating bathroom fixture doesn’t have to be one-note, either. Here, they’ve adjoined the sinks and cabinetry to a large soaking tub.

And finally, proof that it doesn’t have to be this grand thing, either. By LA. M Studio, back-to-back sinks in a narrow cube-like island turn open floor space into a memorable design moment.

—

So now we’ve reached the end, and I have fully exhausted my ability to say another word about a bathroom. After all, how many synonyms can one find for the words sink, bathroom, tub, tile, and the like? I may have gone against my journalist instincts to say the same thing over and over again, but I hope you’ll forgive me and were too focused on the expertly designed bathing spaces to notice.

Any that stood out to you? Any others you’ve taken note of recently that you want to add to the list? Feel free to party on in the comments. I’ll be there responding.

Until next time, friends…

Opening Image Credits: Design by Ursino Interiors, styling by Brittany Albert, photo by Nicole Franzen

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/bathroom-trends-2026/feed 19 COLOR TRENDS 2026: These 7 Colors Are Going To Be All Over Our Homes (One Might Totally Surprise You) https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/color-trends-2026 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/color-trends-2026#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=394546 If you love color as much as I do, buckle up, because today, we’re talking color trends 2026 in interior […]]]>

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.

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.

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.

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!)

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!).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/color-trends-2026/feed 15 New Year, Old (& Unfinished) Project: It’s Time to Tackle What You’ve Put Off Too Long + 4 Easy Steps To Get It Done…FINALLY https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/tackle-what-youve-put-off-too-long-4-easy-steps https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/tackle-what-youve-put-off-too-long-4-easy-steps#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=393897 There’s something about taking down all your holiday decorations that puts a magnifying glass against all the things in your […]]]>

There’s something about taking down all your holiday decorations that puts a magnifying glass against all the things in your home you forgot you have been ignoring. Wreaths get pulled off windows, doors, and mirrors; garland is stripped from staircases, doorways, and mantels. After the sigh of relief that it’s all put away, and you have your house back, it’s common to look around and really *see* your house. The uneven curtain panels in your living room, you swore were only temporary…three years ago. The cluttered bar cabinet you keep meaning to reorganize and style. The half-finished DIY sconces with the shade you never got around to wrapping in that cool fabric that’s still shoved in your closet.

All the things above I mentioned are actually my personal home project shortcomings—and then some. Running my own freelance business and raising an inquisitive toddler who only goes to school half a day leaves me with little time to prioritize things like finally fixing the cafe curtains I made for my dining room over two years ago that bum me out every time I walk by them (that would be many times a day, FYI).

But given that it is that time of year for leaving all your failures in the past and laying out intentions you really hope you can keep past January 15, I’ve decided that I’m resolving myself to stop being blind to the spots in my home I’m less than pleased with and laying out a plan for what and how to tackle them.

First up: Those dining room curtains.

Wait, But How Should I Decide Where to Start?

I want to quickly lay out a few notes that might help you decide on which project should take priority, because if you’re anything like me, the idea of starting and the laundry list of tasks is overwhelming enough to freeze you in your tracks.

Step #1: Start with the most visible (but least daunting) project. The more you see it, the more likely you are to be blind to it (until you have guests and start panicking over it because your everyday house goggles come off and you start seeing things like you think a new person will see it…hint: they don’t). Plus, nothing boosts your confidence and drive more than finally locking in and improving a spot in your home you interact with daily. For me, my dining room curtains are visible almost immediately upon moving through my home, but also from the street. Now for the “least daunting” part of this step. In reality, my living room curtains are more problematic to me than my dining room window coverings. They’re uneven, poorly placed, and look like a sloppy afterthought. But I know that replacing six to eight curtain panels of over 100 inches in addition to a massive curtain rod is going to be massively expensive. My dining room window, though? A far more approachable problem to tackle and check something off my list.

Step #2: Figure out how much money you’re willing to throw at it before starting. Settling on a budget is not a groundbreaking rule for home projects, obviously. But I find it’s often skipped for smaller things with the thought that it just won’t be that expensive…haha try again. Even if it’ll run you a few hundred bucks, as opposed to thousands, it’s important to outline how much you have to spend before running through your options and pricing them out. It might just make your decision that much easier if your choices vary widely in cost.

Step #3: Set a realistic deadline for yourself. “Oh, it won’t take much time at all” you said…two years ago. SET THAT DEADLINE, or else you’ll be adding this same project to your 2027 resolutions list yet again. My advice? Set it around some sort of milestone or landmark so it higher risk if you miss the mark. Meaning, do you have family coming in March to visit for spring break? Do you have a big birthday dinner party on the books for February or April? Give yourself a little buffer of about two weeks prior to allow for troubleshooting or moments of #lifehappens, and work backward from there.

Step #4: DO NOT START ANYTHING NEW BEFORE FINISHING! I capitalize this for dramatic emphasis due to the fact that I wish someone would scream this at me daily upon walking down the stairs to get my morning coffee. Stay focused, finish up, and *then* move on to the next thing. One finished project is worth 10 times what five unfinished projects are. Trust me.

Okay, now that that is sorted, let’s dive into my first project of the year.

An Intro To Arlyn’s Dining Room Curtain Predicament

For reference, here’s what my dining room looked like before we fully moved in. We have these giant windows in nearly every room of our home, and while I first really appreciated them, I quickly learned how tricky they would be to cover in the way I wanted. We inherited mostly broken vertical blinds that all had to come down ASAP for my mental health.

easy steps
as any parent reading knows, you look back at your kids from a few years prior and your heart absolutely disolves with disbelief at how quickly they grow. i’m crying looking at this tiny nugget.

And above is where we are now. As in today, because I just took these photos. Looking at the photos of these cafe curtains, they honestly don’t look *that* bad, but in real life, they don’t work nearly as well as I had imagined they would.

Before settling on this design years ago, I contemplated doing curtain panels, but I really wanted to try something different. Not to mention the ceiling height in my dining room is fairly low, and I thought long drapes would overpower the space that already had a ton of large-scale furniture in it. That, and our home’s perimeter consists of at least a dozen old-growth camphor and pine trees, which means that even though our windows are gargantuan, they do not let in much light. Blocking any of that sunlight, especially from the top part of the window, felt criminal.

another slightly angled view of the area.
the center line of my window frame is aluminum, so I can’t screw anything into it.

Except that I overlooked that cafe curtains work best on small windows, or at the very least, windows with somewhere to secure a center support. Finding a metal rod strong enough to hold up the weight of curtains and rings across a 75-inch span is near impossible. Because trust me, I tried. There’s a graveyard of bad choices in my garage from this very project. The only thing that ended up working (and I use that term loosely) was a 1-inch diameter tension rod. The result was always something I didn’t love, partly due to the fact that it has a plastic ring at eye level where the rod extends, but also because the inset of the window is barely any deeper, so the curtains puff out weirdly without room to move.

You can see the flaring of the curtains here better, which frankly is mostly due to the fact that I fell in love with this Rebecca Atwood fabric but failed to ask them if it worked well for drapery. This is much better suited for upholstery and pillows as it doesn’t hang very well—something I only came to realize after spending the time to sew the panels. I can still remember the night I put them up, and immediately felt my excitement tank, only to be replaced with regret and disappointment.

Unrelated, this is a good photo to see the space a bit better and how it typically looks. The bar is cluttered, my workspace takes up one side of the dining table, the corner is the only place we can plug in our Tineco wet mop, and there are a few plants by that window holding on for dear life. It feels busy, overly tight, but also somehow kind of boring.

How I Can Make It Work

There’s a world where I lean in and just make this work. We won’t be living here forever (or possibly even much longer than this year), so why spend the mental/creative energy and money on doing too much to change it if it’s a short-term solution? I’ve lived with it this long; I can surely keep living with it with a few tweaks. I outlined a few make-it-work options below.

Make-It-Work Option #1: Add an interesting border to the sides and bottom of existing curtains.

Something that isn’t super obvious in my photos is that the curtains are too small. I sewed them and slightly undershot their length and very much underestimated their width after pleating. In order to close them, you have to place them *just so* so you can’t see in from the street. And I let go of some of the bottom hem to lengthen them, but they are still hovering over an inch above the windowsill.

A way to fix that, I thought, was to simply add to the finished curtain, either pleated or unpleated. I actually let the pleat out on the left panel to see how that would look. Spoiler: I didn’t love it, but I left it that way so that we could actually close the curtains at night. And then I forgot I did that and never went back to deal with the other panel, so now I have one pleated and one non-pleated curtain. Cool.

However, I could go back, pleat the left panel, then add two-inch ribbon all along the sides and bottom. I think this would be better in theory than in practice, given the thickness of the fabric and how flimsy a ribbon may look when affixed to it. This, however, would not improve the look of the tension rod.

Make-It-Work Option #2: Remake curtains with a different fabric and dimensions.

I decided to mock up what some lighter linen or cotton would look like. Maybe the issue isn’t the idea of the cafe curtains but rather the curtain I made itself. A wispy semi-sheer fabric would drape much better, still let in some light, and not be as heavy if I figure out a different rod.

Cafe Curtains by Twopages

I know the colors here would look better IRL, but I’m not that into this. (Also, it is just now that I’m realizing the vertical blinds track is STILL on the top of this window…) Possibly a different fabric would be better, but meh.

Cafe Curtain Fabric by Tonic

I do like this more than the first option, but I’m starting to think not all windows can make cafe curtains work.

Other Options If I Move On

Maybe I should cut my losses and try something else. Though I originally didn’t want curtain panels here, I’m softening to the idea. As long as I simplify the styling on all my surfaces and pare back the plants, it may not be as visually overwhelming as I thought it would be. Let’s see how this option fares in Photoshop.

Move On Option #1: Install curtain panels.

As I mentioned, I was hesitant from the get-go to do curtains here, but I acknowledge that they are the most versatile choice for the future. Whenever we decide to move, we could take these with us and reuse them (as long as the height works). I went ahead and mocked up a neutral option and a colorful one.

Curtain Panels from West Elm

Okay! Wait…I like this. Pay no mind to the quick Photoshop job of extending the panels. West Elm’s product page only shows a tiny bit of the top, so this is the best I could do without bringing in AI (no thanks). This feels lovely and light, but still interesting thanks to the subtle pattern and scalloped edges.

Curtain Panels from West Elm

I am surprised by how much I love this. I do worry that it’ll come off heavier in person, but the mauve-y hue helps to bridge the gap between the wood tones in the room and the rug (the Danish Floral Flat-Weave Wool Rug from Garnet Hill, which adds some nice pattern to this otherwise simple space).

Move On Option #2: Install Roman shades.

Now, I wanted to explore some Roman shades here, as I think that will be a cleaner, more tailored look for the small space. Truthfully, though, the investment is too much for this window size to justify how long we’ll be here. Maybe if I had done this three years ago, but I can’t spend this much for something that would be custom-sized for this specific window and can’t come with us.

But by looks alone, I can see that it’s a top contender.

Roman Shade by Select Blinds

The streamlined look of a Roman shade is exactly what this room needs, TBH. A shade leaves the valuable floor space open, I can better control the light during the day, and they don’t overwhelm the low ceilings. A blue pulls in the palette from the rug and adds some interest to the landlord white walls.

Roman Shade by Select Blinds

To scratch the neutral itch I sometimes have due to internet overload, here’s a mock-up of a neutral beige Roman shade. I like it enough as a rest for the eyes, but it doesn’t do much for me. This would be better for me if there were a subtle pinstripe or pattern.

So…What’s The Solution?

Good question! Scrolling back through the images I Photoshopped, I keep going back to those earthy mauve curtains. I would have never guessed that’s what I’d like the most had I not mocked them up. I was convinced a Roman shade would look best, and while it suits the space well, the colored curtain better suits my personal tastes. Given that two of those panels will run me nearly $350, I had a bonus idea: Take two white curtain panels I already have in storage, try to dye them a similar color, and hang those on a pretty brass curtain rod that was meant for my bedroom, I never hung because I didn’t end up having the wall clearance for it. That way, my only expense is the dye and the time it takes me to work through the project.

If it ends up being ugly, then I’ve lost almost nothing and am no worse off. But if it’s pretty good, I can always upgrade to the real deal if it feels like we’ll be here longer than anticipated.

I’m pretty excited, tbh. My deadline? The end of the month. I’ll be sure to share an update when I make some moves. Stay tuned until next time, friends.

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/tackle-what-youve-put-off-too-long-4-easy-steps/feed 52 Breakup With Your Floorplan Rules: 6 Awesome Ideas To Rethink How You Use Your Rooms (Have Your Heard Of The “Cloffice”?) https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/breakup-with-your-floorplan-rules-6-awesome-ideas-to-rethink-your-rooms https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/breakup-with-your-floorplan-rules-6-awesome-ideas-to-rethink-your-rooms#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=393557 As someone living in around 1,500 square feet, wishing I had just a little bit more elbow room to move […]]]>

As someone living in around 1,500 square feet, wishing I had just a little bit more elbow room to move around or have a few dedicated areas for specific needs (my home office, a playroom for my kid, a hobby room for myself and my husband’s special interests), I chuckle at the thought of having enough “dead” space to be pondering what to do with it. However, I know plenty of homes, particularly new builds with excess square footage, have areas that might leave you scratching your head over what its purpose should be. A loft at the top of the stairs, perhaps? A big, empty basement? Maybe even a strange alcove in your primary bedroom, or under your staircase.

There’s also the scenario that you simply don’t need something like a formal dining room, an extra bedroom for guests, or even a full-sized mudroom or laundry room. I love the idea of truly personalizing your home to how you want to and need to use it, which means rethinking what you’re told a room is on a floor plan versus what it could be for you.

So…what can you transform those empty or confusing spots into? Well, I have some pretty fun ideas to explore today. Let’s get those creative neurons firing.

floorplan rules
design by emily henderson | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: portland reveal: you’ll never guess what this bookcase is hiding…

But first, for a little close-to-home inspiration. Remember this bookcase in the upstairs landing of the Portland project Emily designed years ago? It secretly opened up to a hidden playroom with a skylight for light and ventilation:

design by emily henderson | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: portland reveal: you’ll never guess what this bookcase is hiding…

It was so cool and such a good use of space that otherwise would have gone to waste. Is it big enough for an adult to stand in? No, but the kid-friendly space was a pocket-sized and cozy little play haven that excited everyone who saw it.

Room Rethink #1: Keeping Room

So, let’s say you have a breakfast nook and then a larger dining space right next to it (I’ve seen that in some homes). Or perhaps a den that’s closed off and used more as a space to collect all your random odds and ends. Well, how about you turn it into a keeping room, instead?

I just love the idea of a keeping room, which traditionally was a warm, multi-purpose gathering space in early Colonial homes that was located next to the kitchen where the family would congregate for warmth from the hearth, talk, and do chores while the cook worked. It served as a cozy, informal family room, sometimes also called a hearth room, that was a place to relax, keep company, and even sleep or shelter small animals in winter to take advantage of the heat from the fireplace.

Today, it’s not really a necessity thanks to the marvels of central heating, but having a casual and comfortable little sitting room just off the kitchen to gather, read, or even have small bites and sips is such a charming concept.

Let’s look at this keeping room that squeezed in a large dining table and a sofa. It’s not often you see a leather tufted couch in the dining and kitchen area mix, but I think having varied seating types like this makes for a really interesting (and useful) arrangement.

You can even bring some cabinetry over and create an open butler’s pantry or coffee bar, which would be clutch for entertaining in an intimate setting.

While not all keeping rooms need a fireplace anymore, it sure does make things cozy. This whole set up that opens up to an outdoor veranda feels like an entertainer’s dream.

Here’s a more traditional and rustic keeping room in Leanne Ford’s previous Los Angeles home. As you can spot, it’s just off the kitchen and a simple (but beautiful) landing spot to stay near the action in the absence of a big, open floor plan.

This quaint keeping room by Our Prairie Farmhouse Goods makes me want to take up knitting or needlepoint to sit and keep my hands busy (and warm) while someone else makes me some kind of porridge or stew. What a nice-sounding life.

Room Rethink #2: Home Library

Here’s one nearly everyone can fit into their homes one way or another: a library. Now, you might be imagining a Beauty & the Beast expanse, but as you’ll see, all you really need is some empty wall space to achieve this bookworm dream.

The above home, by Gil Schafer, is very obviously an absolutely gorgeous luxury home, but I love the takeaway of these floor-to-ceiling bookcases. I can imagine this in a landing area between rooms, on one side of a wide hallway or transition space, or even, as I’ll explore in a moment, on one wall of a dining space.

This whole carousel of images is chock-full of home library inspiration, but the first image is why I included it, because it’s the most realistic for most of us, I believe. I like the idea of building shelving up above the headspace of a small reading nook with a ladder for access. Ideal for a corner in any living space you’re looking to fill with character and purpose.

A dining room-meets-library is one of my life goals. Few things feel as lush, lived-in, and character-filled then surrounding your dining table and chairs with multiple bookcases and a cascade of hardbacks and paperbacks.

Add some closed storage below to check the boxes that a sideboard or credenza otherwise would; they’ll help you stash extra dinnerware, serving platters, linens, small appliances (if you have a small kitchen, as I do), board games, crafts, homework supplies, and beyond.

Elle the Home Bird’s dining space proves you don’t need every wall covered in books to have the library impact. One area is more than enough to get the point across.

Room Rethink #3: Cloffice

The “cloffice” (or closet-office) has been a very buzzy term this year in interiors. If you have a whole bedroom to dedicate to it, it’s part clothes storage/dressing room, part office. If you need a work area but don’t have a dedicated room, it can mean sacrificing a small step-in closet to transform it into a desk nook. Either way, I love this clever use of space.

What a luxury it would be to have a beautiful sitting room-meets-office-meets-walk-in-closet in my home. So many families I know have “man caves” in their homes, but I think it’s time women start claiming some space of their own for their own time away. A cloffice or parlor might tickle your fancy.

Such a chic cloffice by Molly Kidd Studio. The loungey bench really brings it home, imho.

This is more closet and vanity than closet and office, but the make-up area by the window could easily be a desk, as well. It reminds me of my days in the beauty and accessories closet at Brides magazine during my summer internship…but with more light because my area was better suited for a hobbit than this masterpiece by Noorein Kapoor Design.

If visual clutter prevents you from locking in and focusing, perhaps closet built-ins with doors and drawers would be better for you. Honestly, this makes me think that the giant walk-in closet I had in the Boca Raton apartment I lived in prior to moving to LA could have definitely fit a desk and, with some styling, could have been a wonderful cloffice. Think outside the box!

Take that step-in closet in your guest bedroom and tuck in a clever work area! That way, you can fit in a proper bed, as opposed to a pull-out sofa, and still have enough room to move around. Bonus points for going bold with a deep red like Amber from West On Willow did above.

Oh, and don’t overlook a small closet in an entryway or hallway either. Where there is a will (and need), there is a way!

Room Rethink #4: Quiet Corner

If we’re clever and resourceful, so much of our home can be truly optimized to squeeze in more function. And while I know not everyone is a reader, a quiet corner (or reading nook, whatever you want to call it) can really shake up your day in terms of variety of where you hang around at home.

If you don’t need the space under your stairs to stash things away, get inspired by this amazing built-in upholstered bench. I can imagine myself tucked in there with my noise-cancelling headphones on, shutting out the responsibility of parenting and partnering for just a few minutes.

Gosh, is this so stinking charming. With or without the round, deeply-inset window, creating a window seat and then adding a small pedestal table and another seating option feels like the only way I want to fill a corner in bedrooms and expansive living rooms from now on.

Another under-the-stairs option with a step-up lounge area. Wrap it in compact bookcases or keep it stripped down, your choice.

Should you have extra floor space in a spare bedroom or even a loft area, why not extend the idea of a window seat into a window BED? Curtains keep it private and cushy, and I bet you’ll be happy to have this during the holidays when you’re trying to figure out where to pack everyone into.

Different style, same effect.

Room Rethink #5: Craft Or Hobby Studio

Both my husband and I have some crafty hobbies: I sew on occasion (or pick up random DIY ideas here and there), and he does photography. Having a dedicated studio for both of our pastimes sure does beat him moving everything around in the garage to shoot, and me taking everything off the dining table (which also includes my work setup) every time I want to sew something up.

Wow-wee, this looks like a proper studio space, but I’m sure you can pull inspiration from it for something more small-scale. An open wood island in the center of a room paired with some wall storage is a genius use of space if you have a hobby like sewing (for cutting your fabrics), scrapbooking (to lay all your pages out), and even gift wrapping.

Though don’t forget, all you need is about two to three feet of depth in any spot to get something like the above. And while you may see a sewing machine, just replace that with whatever your desired hobby might be: journalling, sketching, clay modeling, pen paling…whatever.

Another center-island idea. The adjustable chair makes it so that you can either stand or sit, which is a really nice option to have if your hobby or craft keeps you popping up or plopping down.

Art studio much?? What a beautiful use of a converted attack space or room above the garage. I think we’re so quick to think about creating areas for guests whenever the few times a year they come, that we forget to prioritize our own needs and desires that occupy the majority of your home’s time.

Room Rethink #6: Speakeasy

And lastly, I give it up to our gal Mallory for helping me think of this one. Cheers to you, Mal, for helping us realize even a tiny broom closet can turn into a sexy, secret speakeasy.

Case in point. Don’t miss her reveal of this space in her apartment here.

Not a big reader? Skip the book nook and go all-in on a hidden bar. And don’t skip the luxe materials, because they are really what make these compact spirit closets feel extra special.

Or perhaps you have a whole basement to contend with? Pull inspiration from your favorite favorite or cocktail bar and just scale it down to fit the size you are working with. Punchy tile floors, saturated color drenching, and even some fun signage will get you there.

Another home bar by a great person to follow, Kate Pearce Vintage. If I were scrolling quickly, I’d think this was in the lobby of a hotel.

It’s giving secret hideaway. (Click through to see how well the door to this home bar fits into the wall paneling.) Oh, and remember: Just as Emily created a hidden playroom, you can take this speakeasy concept and apply it to anything your heart desires. I find everything feels extra cool when it has an element of a secret passageway.

Until next time, friends…

Opening Image Credits: Design by Mallory Wackerman | Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mallory’s Speakeasy Reveal

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/breakup-with-your-floorplan-rules-6-awesome-ideas-to-rethink-your-rooms/feed 22 The Internet Has *Feelings* About Pantone’s Color Of The Year… Let’s Discuss https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/pantones-color-of-the-year-controversy https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/pantones-color-of-the-year-controversy#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=392934 Did you hear about this Pantone color of the year thing?” my non-design-focused husband asked me the other night. His […]]]>

Did you hear about this Pantone color of the year thing?” my non-design-focused husband asked me the other night. His feeds are wildly different than mine, full of photography tutorials, comedy Reels, and nostalgic content; so for Pantone to have made its way into his algorithm tells me all I need to know this year: Everyone is talking about it, for better or for worse.

If you’re as clueless about this as my husband was last year without the viral chatter, Pantone—an international authority on all things color—chooses a “Color of the Year” every December. Since 1999, many other companies, from paint brands to home siding manufacturers, have followed suit, none more awaited than Pantone. Their selected hue for the upcoming calendar year speaks to the intersection of culture, current events, and design. So, while you may see a velvety peach as a choice (like we did in 2024 from them), it might not mean that soft oranges are trending in the traditional sense, but more so that the “mood” of our world, through their lens, matches their pick. Their language used around the shades often sounds like this (from 2024): “PANTONE 13-1023, or Peach Fuzz, fosters a sense of closeness and connection, acting as a balm in times of uncertainty.”

In a moment of upheaval, discord, and change, fraught with what feels like an epidemic of selfishness and a distancing from the greater good by authority figures (not to mention, though unrelated, a move toward maximalism and an explosion of color and patterns in our homes lately), Pantone decided to choose…

White.

PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer to be exact: “A lofty white that serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection.” Hmm…interesting choice of words.

I’m not the only one who took a moment and thought “uh…what?” Almost as if an Amber Alert went off on all of our phones and we collectively got to work sharing our not-so-quiet reflections on our social platforms, my feeds exploded with stunned and salty opinions. At best, Cloud Dancer feels lazy; at worst, at least according to some enflamed posters, tone deaf and even in support of an “all-whites” agenda.

The Reactions & Rejections

Let’s take a look at some of the strong feelings heard around the interwebs.

I admit, initially, I let the outrage fuel me. I saw someone write that the noise around the color is louder than the color itself, which was spot on. After sitting with it for a few days, I decided that, for me, it’s simply uninspiring. Those copywriters had to work overtime trying to find a way to make white—and mind you, a boring middle-of-the-road white with no leanings to warm or cool—sound interesting. Here are quotes from two figureheads over at Pantone, and boy, I’ve never seen so many creative words used to describe landlord white:

The product collaborations attached to this release are even more ironic-chuckle-inducing. There’s white Play-Doh. A white mug. A white keychain. A white notebook. Joybird, which has been releasing a special Pantone COTY collab line in recent years, launched…white furniture. You mean, what they already had lying around in the warehouse, perhaps that they just renamed to Joybird x Cloud Dancer? It’s just silly.

color of the year
all these products can be found in the Pantone online shop…if you’re interested for some reason

Is Pantone Just Rage Baiting Us?

I even saw an article by Allure (yes, the beauty/women’s lifestyle mag), questioning if the choice was just intended to be rage bait. To reignite people’s attention and feelings around the Color of the Year conversation that has felt a bit stale in the last few years. Frankly, the last time it felt interesting to me was in 2016 when they launched the first “we couldn’t decide” pairing of Rose Quartz and Serenity. And I can almost guarantee that everyone will be watching next year to see how far it swings away from Cloud Dancer. Genius marketing and PR move or just obnoxious? (I’m leaning toward the latter; don’t act like you’re trying to say something about stillness and calm if your actual intent was to poke at the embers of society, you know?)

But something I’m working on in myself recently is remaining curious rather than jumping to assumptions. What if, indeed, Pantone, was looking for a clean slate? Intentional restraint from all the noise *everywhere* and *everything.* Sure, “white” is kind of insulting in its simplicity for something of this nature, but last year was brown (Mocha Mousse). Personally, I know that my entire spirit is fatigued for many reasons, so perhaps the void that a color like Cloud Dancer creates is a quiet fortress of solitude that is very much needed right now for some of us to escape from constant distraction.

i found this while searching for spoonflower’s official collab this year…there isn’t one, fyi.

Does it make for exciting product releases? Absolutely not. Some of them are maddeningly mind-numbing, such as the Cloud Dancer white wallpaper—pictured being applied on top of a white wall—from an artist on Spoonflower. In previous years, the brand released very fun prints in partnership with the color authority (here is last year’s); this year? Nothing officially, just whatever the third-party artists have done themselves…and I don’t blame them. As a design editor, my inbox is always jammed with outreach by PR people sharing products from their clients in shades similar to the COTY, hoping I include them in a roundup about the announcement. This year, I got two messages. TWO. Talk about a blank slate….for my Gmail account. It quieted the noise in that sense, that’s for sure.

What Does Cloud Dancer Say For Interiors In 2026 & Beyond?

Because this is a design blog and not the Op Ed section of your chosen newspaper, I want to offer up some interiors-focused conversation, as well. For instance, when I brought up this topic to Emily, her initial quandary was: “Does this mean clean and bright interiors might make a comeback? And, even more controversial, are cooler whites going to prevail over the dominant warm white in 2026?” I don’t know, but it does match the natural progression of things. I think warm neutrals still have some juice left in their fruits to squeeze, likely for another three to four years. But then what happens? Well, people flip to the opposite spectrum. No more warm undertones, all in on cool whites and grays, just as it happened in the early 2000s. We went from cherry red woods and brown and beige everything to millennial gray and contemporary whites. Time will tell, I suppose.

Until we get there—LORD PLEASE LET’S NOT GO BACK THERE—I wanted to celebrate some selected colors of the year from other companies that feel like the people sitting in the room making the decisions were not trying to enrage us, but rather inspire us.

Let’s start with Coloro x WGSN, who released their 2026 COTY back in 2024, and have just announced their 2027 hue. Yup, they work that far ahead, unlike some of the other brands, given their nature. WGSN is a trend forecasting authority that heavily drives product manufacturing, while Coloro is a color expert, so the two come together to pick a singular Color of the Year.

For 2026, they went with Transformative Teal, which is absolutely luminous. The kind of color you can’t take your eyes off of; that you dream of being bold enough to use in some capacity. It’s rich, dramatic, and timeless in the right application. Take a look:

photo courtesy of coloro

Can you imagine that on a hand-glazed tile in a bathroom?!? As a border accent on a fabulous rug? It says something, unlike ::cough cough:: basic white.

Now, onto 2027 for WGSN x Coloro. Get ready, because if Transformative Teal spoke volumes, the next one has a megaphone in hand.

photo courtesy of coloro

Feast your eyes on Luminous Blue. ::stands up; applauds; hoots and hollers:: Look, making a claim to a color of the year is far beyond what color we’re painting our walls, okay? You might see this International Klein Blue-esque shade and think “not for me or my home,” but it goes well beyond the walls you surround yourself with. It informs fashion, packaging, product design, branding, and marketing. Something like this is not quickly forgotten, and isn’t that worthy of celebration?

photo courtesy of graham & brown

This third color, Divine Damson by Graham & Brown, is yet another intense jewel tone, and I’m making no apologies for it. Rather than quiet reflection and going inward like Cloud Dancer claims to want us to do, I think we should all be living our truest, most daring version of ourselves. No more fakery, no more shrinking. Be authentically you; sure, that might be a person who feels most stable in a bright and neutral room, but it could also be a person who wants to be hugged by mulberry-meets-garnet burgundies.

photo courtesy of behr

And finally, in an honorable mention position, is Behr’s Hidden Gem. This was the first COTY announced this year from the paint company heavy hitters, and I’ve gotta tell you, I wasn’t overwhelmed with emotion when I saw it. Mostly because I feel like I’ve been seeing it for a while now. It didn’t feel new or fresh or forward-thinking. Unlike Transformative Teal that has an incredible depth to it, this one is chalky and milky. It’s beautiful, sure (I had walls in a very similar color years ago by Farrow & Ball), but it’s expected.

HOWEVER, I’ll still take it over Cloud Dancer, and for that, it made my list. It’s soothing and welcoming and pensive, and, from a design perspective, works beautifully with tons of other shades; I’m partial to warm-leaning colors like the olive in the chairs above.

—

So that my friends, brings me to the end of my rant about color. Based on how many articles and posts have come out on the same subject, some might say Pantone has won. The most genius Public Relations move; but I don’t like feeling as if I’ve been had, so for that, I’m a hard no on Cloud Dancer.

I’d love to hear your insights, thoughts, comments (angry or happy or otherwise), and especially anything I’ve missed or haven’t taken into consideration. What are you seeing that I’m not? Let’s keep talking about it.

Until next time, friends…

*Opening Image Credits: Photo courtesy of Pantone

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/pantones-color-of-the-year-controversy/feed 52 Secondhand Scores: An Antique Dry Sink Is The Useful (& Affordable) Furniture Piece You’re Overlooking https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/antique-dry-sink https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/antique-dry-sink#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=392396 Welcome back to another installment of what I’m loosely calling “Marketplace Marvels.” Or perhaps “Secondhand Scores”…[edits headline because I like […]]]>

Welcome back to another installment of what I’m loosely calling “Marketplace Marvels.” Or perhaps “Secondhand Scores”…[edits headline because I like that better]. The title is a work in progress, but the heart is the same: What can you do with all those interesting, affordable, and durable vintage and antique finds you scroll or walk past on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or at your local flea market? Don’t get furniture FOMO; let’s learn about them, figure out what they should cost you, and see how other people are using and styling them, shall we?

What Exactly Is An Antique Dry Sink?

A dry sink is exactly what its name suggests: A “sink” without running water. Prior to homes having indoor plumbing, this piece of furniture was used to hold a large wash bowl and pitcher that people used to wash their hands, faces, food, bodies, and the like. They had a small backsplash made of either wood, stone, or tile to protect the wall behind it from getting wet. The cabinet-like piece came into popularity in the early to mid-1800s, the predecessor to the simpler washstand, which was a compact wooden stand without enough room to set the bowl and hold the water, possibly even a towel.

Once plumbing came into play (that was the early 20th century in the US), these fell out of favor, and now are used for decorative purposes…more on that if you keep reading.

How Do You Find One & How Much Do They Cost When You Do?

As I learned from the comment section of my first article about barrister bookcases, prices vary widely on secondhand items sold on local marketplaces, depending on where you are. Perhaps it’s supply and demand. Or maybe it’s simply different inventory in different parts of the country. But regardless, I wanted to walk through some of the dry sinks I found within 50 miles of me here in Los Angeles.

antique dry sink

Before dry sinks emerged, washstands and wash basins were the norm. As you can see from above, it was just large enough for a bowl or basin, with room to place the pitcher below when in use. This one even has a mirror and side rails for towels. I can’t envision much of a use for this these days, but nostalgic, nonetheless.

And here is a proper dry sink, as I mentioned, it’s the evolution of the wash stand we saw prior. This one is so special with its pink marble and delicate detailing. And at $100 (!!!), it’s a complete and utter steal. If you’re near Oak Park, California, please grab this one.

Here is one that’s a bit pricier, but still far less expensive than anything you could buy on the market new today. Solid wood, marble top, brass hardware, cute little carvings, are you kidding me? Note that this one is called a wash stand, so be sure to check both names when you’re hunting for one.

A tick more expensive than the last, but a good size at 44 inches wide. This one is in a Shaker style, which you can see through limited ornamentation and the cabinet door design we all know (and still use) today. It has a lip around the front to prevent any spills from landing on the floor.

This one is called a “wash table,” so get creative with those naming conventions while you search, people! You’ll find a lot of these leggier versions on casters, which at the time, made them easy to move around as needed.

Tile work can be simple and solid colored, like the previous dry sink, or more decorative, like the one above.

The Different Kinds Of Dry Sinks

As is standard with antiques, different eras and regions dictate what materials were used and what their styling was. I’m sure there are plenty more I’m not covering here, but I do not have a degree in dry sinks (yet). Here are some of the most common ones I see when secondhand shopping:

Marble-Topped: These came into popularity in the Victorian era (mid-1800s to early 1900s). Marble was a common material at the time and was used for its durability. Around this time, a recessed basin was scrapped in place of a flat surface. Dry sinks from this time period are also a bit more ornate in their woodworking, as things were in the Victorian age.

Tile Backsplash: Tiles as a backsplash came into play in the early 1900s, when plumbing began appearing in homes. Some are in the Arts & Crafts or Mission style, others are Edwardian, such as the one above (though the seller said it might also be Victorian; it doesn’t look ornate enough for that IMHO).

Here is another dry sink with a tiled backsplash. The lister notes that it’s Edwardian; after a quick little looksie into what the hallmarks of Edwardian furniture are, I can see how this one checks the boxes: lighter-toned woods, less ornate woodworking, and floral motifs.

All-Wood With Bottom Cabinet: Some dry sinks have more storage than others, such as the one above. This one is a primitive design, from the early 19th century, and you can tell because of the recessed basin (the lip around the surface).

Some Ideas For How To Repurpose & Style One

Now that we’ve met some different kinds of dry sinks, let’s see how some people are using them in their homes. Spoiler alert: I’m gonna need a dry sink soon.

I have to admit that I didn’t really know much about these prior to a few years ago, and the petite dry sink in Caroline Winkler’s rental kitchen I watched come to life on YouTube, was one of the first I took true notice of. Anyhow, a dry sink works great in a kitchen where you need to add a little more counter space to hold fruit bowls, a coffee bar, mixing bowls…anything you need!

Here is a primitive all-wood dry sink used as a console table (or perhaps an entry table?). It’s hard to take my eyes off that amazing stained glass door, but the beautiful, rich tone of the wood on the dry sink cabinet also draws the eye.

This type of dry sink is primed to be in a dining room as a service piece. The high back and built-in shelves are pretty unique and great for little floral moments or a prized trinket.

Another primitive design, being used as a bar.

This sweet little marble-topped dry sink looks so great as a vanity table in a bathroom with some pretty apothecary jars, rolled up towels, or your most aesthetic makeup and beauty supplies.

Dry sink turned wet sink! Don’t forget you can take one of these pretty pieces and retrofit it with actual plumbing and a sink vessel. If this is the case, it’s best to find one with a natural stone surface for durability, as wood can’t handle constant water exposure.

This little kitchen station is giving me Emily Bowser vibes for some reason. Maybe it’s the collection of little…rolling pins, maybe?

Juxtapose a rustic, worn dry sink with your fanciest crystal, glass decanters and brass ice buckets or pitchers. This technique takes something old and makes it feel fresh and interesting, as opposed to looking like something sitting in an old storage unit.

Looking for a unique entry table? Grab a dry sink with some interesting tile work. It adds color and pattern without trying too hard.

As long as the integrity of the wood is intact, yes, you can use one of these as a changing table! It has a built-in lip to keep the baby from rolling. I’d suggest adding a little cushion with a built-in buckle for extra safety.

—

Raise your hand if you’ve envisioned at least two spots in your own home where an antique dry sink could add some interest and function. I don’t have a single open space of wall in my current home for one, but believe me when I tell you that whenever we move into a larger home (hopefully in the next few years), I’m going to hunt one of these down.

What pieces do you regularly see on Marketplace or when vintage shopping? I’d love to deep dive, learn, and share my findings!

Until next time, friends…

Opening Image Credits: Design by Arlyn Hernandez | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Arlyn’s Moody Dining Room Reveal Is All About the Insane Power of Paint | Vintage Dry Sink via Facebook Marketplace

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/antique-dry-sink/feed 28 5 Interesting (& Fun) Ideas Happening In Design Right Now + Why We’re Not Calling Them “Trends” https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/5-ideas-happening-in-design https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/5-ideas-happening-in-design#comments Tue, 25 Nov 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=391536 For obvious reasons, we write a lot about interior design and home decorating trends. But sometimes, we come across moments […]]]>

For obvious reasons, we write a lot about interior design and home decorating trends. But sometimes, we come across moments and concepts we think are worth exploring that aren’t necessarily en masse the way a “trend” is. For instance (and a bit of a spoiler alert): Swans in home decor are popping up a lot, but by no means do I think that large majestic birds are “happening.” They’re just a stylistic choice someone chooses because they love it. The same goes for the color pink right now. Blush, dusty mauve, and fleshy peach were never out of style—imho, no color is ever obsolete if used in a fresh way—but more and more, I’m seeing designers go all-in on rose.

So, today, I’m diving into five non-trends that I just plain and simply think are fun happenings in the design world worth bringing to your attention. No pomp; no circumstance; no large declarations. Just “Hey, watcha think about this?” conversations.

#1: Blue Marble Countertops

Blue marble tends to come off a bit dated when it has the wrong edge finish and in a kitchen that feels overly fussy. It was a thing in custom kitchens in the early 1900s, then again in the ’70s and ’80s, and is definitely making a strong comeback recently, though still quite niche.

Kate Hudson famously picked a vibrant blue, heavily veined marble for the kitchen she renovated in her current home, which also happens to have been her childhood residence. People either love it or hate it, with some critics saying it looks like a cheap pool liner. While it’s not really something I would pick for myself, maybe ever (it’s just not my preference for veining style), I’m all for *her* loving it.

Here is the kitchen (above) that she did in collaboration with Cafe Appliances, which ran in Architectural Digest. Bright white and true blue is a bit high-contrast for my liking, but it’s a classic combination, so while it seems pretty bold, it is tried-and-true to say the least.

This deeper, more gray-blue countertop—the same kitchen from the opening image, a design by Guild Anderson—is more in line with my personal taste. Same result, in that it feels both vintage and forward at the same time, but more palatable and low-key.

A marble with tons of movement mixed with a strong wood grain is hard to pull off, but there is something very cozy and rustic about this kitchen, by Eleanor Roper Interiors.

Moving into the bathroom, a deeper blue marble is easier to work with because you only need a little bit due to the smaller space. I especially love it in a color-drench aesthetic, such as the powder bath above by Decus Interiors.

Coe Mudford Interior Design turned a simple fireplace wall into the star of the room with this soft blue marble slab design. In a traditional white-and-grey marble, for instance, it would have been beautiful but expected, and this choice adds just enough color to be interesting without being pushy.

This bathroom shared by Starel Stones notes that it uses blue wave marble, resulting in a room that looks like you’re floating in the clouds (or sea). I’m transfixed, honestly.

A blue lapis marble is absolutely stunning in this petite modern bathroom by Hunt and Design. Note that they took it above the arch of the mirror to great result.

#2: Saltillo Floor Tiles

In general, welcoming, character-filled interiors and architecture are increasingly desirable, as compared to stark or pristine contemporary homes. And with that, we’re seeing warmer colors and materials more and more. One in particular I’ve been eyeing is Saltillo tiles. Now, you may see what I’ve posted below and think “oh, terra cotta!” but well…not exactly. All Saltillo tiles are terra cotta, but not all terra cotta is Saltillo.

Saltillo needs to be made in Coahuila, Mexico (the capital city is Saltillo) using old-world, hand-made techniques. It’s very durable, naturally slip-resistant, and affordable at around $5 to $6 per square foot, installed. The only downside is that, since it’s a natural, unglazed material, it needs to be resealed every few years, depending on foot traffic.

I love that the designer (Terramar Interiors) here retained the original Saltillo floors in the bedroom that adjoins this bathroom suite, and made them feel purposeful and fresh by bringing in a similarly toned floor in a star and cross brick pattern.

The Saltillo tiles we typically see are square in varying sizes with thick grout lines between them, but this brick-shaped Saltillo from Tiles of Ezra reads way more modern, paired with crisp white walls, a sleek gray pedestal(ish) sink, and ribbed aqua glass.

While this is technically red cotto from Zia Tile, I wanted to show it because we don’t typically see an organic, hand-made floor like this with a modern kitchen like the above by Laun Studio. It’s a good reminder that just because you’re renovating doesn’t mean you always have to tear out everything. Sometimes old lends some gravitas to new.

Saltillo works especially well in hacienda- or mission-style homes. I love it with creamy plaster walls and architectural features like this fireplace in a home by Intimate Living Interiors.

These floors are fantastic choices for hard-working rooms like the kitchen and bathroom due to their durability, which comes from the fact that Saltillo tiles are typically quite thick (about 3/4-inch) and fired at very high temperatures.

Oooh, a picket design! The listing for this home notes that this style is rare, which is unfortunate because it’s so lovely.

#3: Pink Top-To-Bottom

Unexpected red. Burgundy. Brown. Now…pink! Of course, all of those colors are different, but they do live in the same world of warm, rich red undertones. Soft, blushy pinks are popping up everywhere I look, particularly in bathrooms, though it’s a gorgeous, nearly neutral hue for any living space, really.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw this bathroom Heidi Caillier recently shared, mostly due to that gorgeous built-in cabinet, but also because the color palette just glows.

When I said above that a satiny pink like this bathroom by Uns Hobbs Interior is basically a neutral, what I meant is that it works so well with almost any color. Green? Yes! Brown? Of course. Purple or white or blue or red? God, yes! Going to bookmark Farrow & Ball Templeton Pink for a future room…

I mean, who doesn’t want a glossy pink kitchen in Paris? Pairing a sweet, fleshy pink like this with other tan surfaces keeps the color from leaning too saccharin. (Be sure to click through to see the pink stone fireplace surround, too!!)

Look, I love a color-drenched room like the next person, but at times, it can feel like the walls are caving in on you if things are too dark. But in a dusty pink, it still feels happy, intentional, and dramatic.

#4: Chintz

Ah chintz. I’ve long had a hate-hate relationship with this fuddy-duddy floral. HOWEVER, it’s actually a fascinating fabric that has grown on me. To be specific, chintz fabric is a plain weave cotton that has a glaze or sheen and typically features colorful, repeating floral patterns. It was originally created and produced in India, and after being imported into Europe, it was banned by England and France because it was too popular and threatened their domestic fabric.

The fabric and pattern is niche and not for everyone, but I’ve grown to appreciate it on a skirted sofa, fringed ottoman, or ruffled pillow in a room I’d love to stay in for the weekend (though not necessarily live in).

I mean, Heidi Caillier makes anything and everything look good, and she almost has me convinced I need a chintz-covered roll-arm sofa. For me, it works because it’s expertly blended with other less frilly patterns and furniture silhouettes.

There has been a collective obsession with English interiors for the last five or more years, and a chintzy rose-printed sofa feels perfectly at the center of this design style. Note the pairing with the kilim rug and the geometric ottoman fabric.

Chintz doesn’t have to be heavy-handed. It can also be soft and more subtle, like the Colefax & Fowler Fuchsia fabric used on the armchairs above in the home of Emma Sherlock.

Another skirted armchair, this time by A Glass of Bovino, who loves chintz so much, you can find it in one form or another across her whole beautiful and elegant home.

Not brave enough to go with a floral-patterned sofa? Stick to a solid but then have some fun on your ottoman, perchance with a chintz and fringe? Uns Hobbs Interiors creates another interesting, layered room with that exact technique.

#5: Swans

Okay, hear me out…swans…I saw a lot of articles last summer about TikTok’s “swancore,” and I rolled my eyes. Any word that is affixed to “core” will have that effect on me, but what I thought was a quick passing fad maybe has some staying power?

I’ve written about my love for a little whimsy in our homes, and this fits squarely into that narrative, but remember: A little goes a long way. Try a single vintage brass swan planter. Or a ceramic swan pitcher. Feeling frisky? Put a small swan figurine on a bookshelf. Let’s look at some examples.

Architectural Digest wrote about swans and their return on the home scene just a week or so ago, and I bookmarked it even before locking in what motifs I wanted to write about for this article. It’s a little wild, fun, and frankly, kind of weird (but in a good way…most times).

Now this is just lovely. I’m nearly convinced I now need to find a vintage brass swan in some form or another…particularly a planter-slash-vase.

It’s hard to see this far away, but that brass planter on top of the pink book is indeed a swan. It looks practically demure next to the collection of hands, creepy faces, and vintage oil portraits of bearded men.

A swan oil painting or print is a gentle bridge into swan decor. I don’t have the exact link to the one above, but this one is super close.

Matilda Goad is my quirky, eclectic decor idol. She has so much fun with her home that it would make a serial sad-beiger question their commitment to solely creamy whites. I can’t take my eyes off the swan on the top middle shelf…can you?

Maison Balzac has some of my dream too-beautiful-to-use table linens, and this is the first I’m seeing this swan napkin. I’ve gotta say…it’s so regal and lovely and just unusual enough without scaring anyone off.

I have loved Nina Campbell’s Swan Lake wallpaper since maybe…2011? That’s nearly 15 years, people, and it never gets old to me. So I guess the girl who rolled her eyes at “swancore” is a bit of a hypocrite, hm? (She says to herself…)

—

Well, that was fun. Honestly, I much prefer talking about interesting things on our radar that we just want to bounce around in our minds or chew on a little bit, rather than a deep dive into a specific trend that we have to decide how we feel about it. Most of these I shared today might never find a home in my home, but it’s a good exercise to mentally try them on to see how far you can push yourself (or not).

Until next time…

Opening Image Credits: Design by Guild Anderson | Imagine by Emma Lewis

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/5-ideas-happening-in-design/feed 18 I Bought A Counter-Depth Fridge & Here’s What I Honestly Think About It 2 Years Later (Hint: Some Pros & A BIG Con) https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/counter-depth-fridge-review https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/counter-depth-fridge-review#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=390925 Two years ago, right around this time, I revealed my rental kitchen refresh. During the months that preceded that, I […]]]>

Two years ago, right around this time, I revealed my rental kitchen refresh. During the months that preceded that, I chronicled my journey in getting from “before” to “after,” and one of the major overhauls was of my appliances. When my family moved in, we had a partially broken white electric-coil range, a black (and ancient) dishwasher, and a very small, apartment-style fridge, also in white. It was a mishmash of finishes and not a single one of those appliances suited our needs.

It took me nearly a full year to hunt down new-to-me, secondhand kitchen appliances in my budget, but I finally did. The biggest get was my refrigerator, mostly because I had very specific limits, including needing a counter-depth model. Not just that, but the way our countertops were cut with a slight overhang in the area where the fridge lived meant we couldn’t accommodate a standard 36-inch width model either. We needed a counter-depth fridge.

this is the photo from our listing before moving in. it’s perfectly fine and better than so many other rentals i’ve seen, but the white fridge and range, stainless hood, and black dishwasher left much to be desired by way of style.

Here’s a little excerpt from my kitchen reveal about this process:

“Let me tell you…finding a 33-inch fridge in counter-depth (this space required that) was near IMPOSSIBLE. I’m not exaggerating when I say they make three models that fit that bill. ON THE ENTIRE MARKET. And then to try to find one of those secondhand, well, Everest territory. BUT I DID IT. And the rush of exhilaration I felt is what I imagine stockbrokers feel when they do stockbroker things that make them a lot of money. I love our fridge…it makes me quite happy every day.”

So, here I am, 700-plus days later…do I still love it? Am I still quite happy every day? Well, mostly, though it’s complicated. And that’s what I’m here to talk about today.

even our apartment-sized fridge stuck out a bit too far
freshly installed (and already full of finger prints)

What Is A Counter-Depth Fridge, & Why Does Someone Need (Or Want) One?

A counter-depth refrigerator is exactly what it sounds like: A fridge that is about as deep as a standard kitchen countertop, which typically ranges between 24 and 30 inches, while a standard depth fridge can be anywhere from 30 to 36 inches deep and extend past the countertops. So, why exactly does it matter, and why did I personally choose to go with counter-depth? Glad you asked.

I grew up in homes where there was a built-in cabinet box that accommodated a standard-depth refrigerator. That looks like this:

Our fridges sat nicely inside a frame made for their depth, with upper cabinetry that also extended out further than the rest of the uppers. We had a decent amount of space to move around the fridge, as well. Some people (or mainly, designers) don’t love this because it breaks from having a seamless line. You can see that in the above photo. It certainly doesn’t look bad when done well, in my opinion, but it’s become the norm lately to have a fridge, especially when integrated/panel-ready, that is flush with countertops and lower cabinetry.

A way around this, if you care, is to have your fridge on its own wall built into floor-to-ceiling cupboards without counter space, such as this:

None of these, of course, was my scenario. I was not renovating a custom kitchen. I was merely hoping to get my rental kitchen—where I spend a massive amount of time cooking, eating, or cleaning up—looking less “bargain basement bin” and more “nice family home.” As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I was working around some limitations in terms of width, and after measuring, I realized that a standard-depth would stick out almost 10 inches past my countertops. In a tight U-shaped kitchen such as mine, an appliance that projects that far into the center space is both an eyesore but also cuts off physical and visual flow. I know I would have to be searching for something counter-depth due to the placement of where my fridge was in the floor plan.

I found this great side-by-side comparison on Instagram of the different (note: this is not in my kitchen) to get a sense of how much further a standard-depth sticks out:

My Fridge Specs, Where I Bought It & What I Paid For It

This post isn’t meant to be some kind of ringing endorsement for the refrigerator we ended up getting, but I wanted to include it in case it was useful to anyone, and also because I wanted to show how much of a difference a few inches in depth can make to the interior of a fridge. Here is the model I ended up buying (reminder: I bought mine used on Facebook Marketplace for around $600).

Below is the same fridge, but instead of being 31 inches deep, it’s 37.5 inches deep. (Keep in mind that the fridge itself is 36 inches, but the final dimensions include the handles, as well.) A six-inch difference equates to nearly six cubic feet of difference. That, my friends, is a lot of space inside a fridge. Also, note that the smaller counter-depth model is $100 more expensive than the regular fridge. From what I understand, that increase in price is mostly due in part to supply and demand (they simply make fewer counter-depth fridges than standard depth), but also because the cost to produce them is higher.

These are important things to keep in mind if you are considering something counter-depth, but more on my personal experience with the diminished space, in particular, below. Keep reading!

My Honest Thoughts, 2 Years Later.

There are a lot of pros about our fridge, but also some cons. Let’s start with the positives, because I’m an optimist.

Pros:

  • It fits! Above and beyond, that was my number one priority, obviously.
  • It doesn’t stick out an additional six inches into my already tight kitchen!
  • Aside from the aesthetics of its size, by far the most convenient part about a counter-depth fridge is that, because it isn’t as deep, food doesn’t get lost in the caverns of your chiller. Playing jar Jenga is wildly overstimulating to me, pulling pickles, pasta sauce, and relish out of the way just to get to the kalamata olives alllll the way in the back. My fridge has the capacity to nest things only two to three times before you hit the back wall. To some, this might be a con, because it limits storage, but to someone like me, who often has containers of leftovers to contend with (and needs constant reminders that yes, I have food at home), it limits food waste significantly.
Counter-Depth Fridge
you can barely see it here, as we didn’t take a picture of that side of the kitchen for some reason, but you can see that, even at 31 inches deep, it still sticks out a few inches (that helps accommodate the doors being able to open all the way). imagine it being even further into the kitchen! woof!

From where I was coming (the basic top-freezer model loved by landlords for its price tag), the fridge is a huge upgrade, whether it was counter depth or not. A lot of what I loved about it to begin with can be attributed to this, as well as the French-door design. I loved having easy access to all the space on the interior side of the door, the wide deli drawer, and adjustable shelves.

Cons:

  • Fewer model options to choose from. This was one of my biggest challenges, especially because I needed both a counter depth as well as only 33 inches in width (36 inches in width and depth is standard). These are becoming more popular, thankfully, so supply increases as does demand.
  • They are more expensive, as I already mentioned.
  • Decreased cubic storage. You can also expect a counter-depth refrigerator to have a capacity of anywhere from 17 to 25 cubic feet (LG makes some with really maximized interiors), with an average of around 22 cubic feet. A standard refrigerator houses around 20 to 30 cubic feet, depending on style, model, and width.

Now that I’ve lived with this fridge in this size for over two years, I can say that I have been frustrated at times with simply not having enough room. We are a family of two adults and one young child, and it’s barely enough room for all my groceries. I usually go shopping for the week and shove things in with a hope and a prayer. Granted, I buy enough groceries to cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for at least six days’ worth of eating. Plus, we keep our large water pitcher in there because there is no water line to that side of the kitchen, so the water dispenser doesn’t work, and I need cold water to survive. If you’re the type of person who only buys groceries for a few meals a week, there’s only one or two of you, or you’re more minimal than I am in terms of your condiments, milks/drinks, or produce, it may be just fine for you.

In a future kitchen of my choosing, this size will simply not cut it for my cooking style. I’m sure it would feel better in a full 36-inch width, but even then, even with the “pro” of not losing food in the back of the fridge and having things more accessible, I’d probably choose the largest fridge I could find as long as it made sense for the footprint of my space.

—

That is my assessment, but this is a community where all of your opinions are so valued (and varied), so please chime in in the comments below with your own experiences related to a counter-depth fridge, for better or for worse.

Until next time, friends…

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House Kitchen Reveal

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/counter-depth-fridge-review/feed 58 Kitchen Trend Alert: Is The “Statement” Fridge The New Statement Range? https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/kitchen-trend-the-statement-fridge https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/kitchen-trend-the-statement-fridge#comments Wed, 12 Nov 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=390403 First came stainless steel high-end ranges (think Wolf and Viking) in luxury kitchens. Then came the UK and European imports […]]]>

First came stainless steel high-end ranges (think Wolf and Viking) in luxury kitchens. Then came the UK and European imports such as Bertazzoni, AGA, La Cornue, and Lacanche. These pastel- and jewel-toned beauties, which can be priced anywhere from $7,000 upwards of $25,000 (or more depending on size), have been the crown jewel of the custom kitchen for the better part of a decade. This kitchen trend is what I call the “statement range,” due to the fact that in a space where all other appliances are meant to be hidden behind cabinet panels, these are poised to be anything but meek and concealed.

cabinetry design by guild anderson | interior design by lara et al | photo by astrid templier

Robin’s egg blue, burgundy (like Shavonda Gardner’s gorgeous kitchen above), black and brass (below, by U.S. company Big Chill), and beyond, these ranges have left both an impact on the design of our cookeries, and elevated our tolerance for risk-taking styles in a room that often shies away from breaking too far away from the safe crowd, mostly because it’s wildly expensive to correct if their freshness grows stale.

The gateway drug of a character-filled kitchen, statement ranges have opened the door for the statement fridge, which is perhaps one of the most exciting kitchen trends of the past year or two, imho. It’s interesting to see how this giant, necessary appliance has transformed from being as discrete as possible to stealing the stage.

While digging around for images to showcase and talk through here, I noticed three distinct “types” of statement fridges, each serving a style and budget range. We have the vintage-style fridge, the modern colorful fridge, and then, what is quickly emerging as a go-to move at the upper end of the spending spectrum, the freestanding furniture-style fridge.

Come with me to explore all three kinds.

The Vintage-Style Statement Fridge

It doesn’t matter where the aesthetic pendulum swings; there will always be those who prefer the nostalgic look of yesteryear (though it just so happens that traditional and cottage design has been very big for a while now). SMEG and Big Chill have ruled this market on the mainstream level for years and years, and for good reason: They are just so stinking cute. For color lovers, they are like a siren, hypnotizing us and luring us in with their pistachio greens and buttery yellows. For those that prefer something warm and neutral but not the same-same of everyone else, there’s creamy off-whites and blacks.

A black French door fridge with chunky brass hardware—by Big Chill Appliances—stands out in the classic kitchen of Amy Bowen of Porch and Vine. I think this color combo is a nice way to bring in a chiller of this style without it feeling cemented in any era.

Same fridge, different color, very different vibe. Sunday Supper Club Creative designed the wildly unique kitchen of Bri Emery of DesignLoveFest. I love the color blocking of the mint cabinetry next to the pistachio appliance so that it stands out and has its moment without too much contrast.

Here’s a very classic-looking fridge, again by Big Chill, in a lovely dark green. The chrome is a nice change from all the brass we’ve seen in our kitchens for 10-plus years. Of course, something this size isn’t sensible for most of us as a main fridge unless you live alone or don’t cook much, but it’s a fun option for a secondary fridge if you have a home with that square footage.

We love a cream SMEG around these parts (just ask Jess or Mallory). I especially like how it looks with warm, taupe cabinetry and rich wood tones, like in the kitchen above by Living a Wilder Life. This design of fridge works well for anyone who doesn’t want to burn counter space with a wide 36-inch fridge but still wants to set a vibe.

The Colorful Statement Fridge

Not after a fridge that looks like it could have held your jello mold for the neighborhood moon landing watch party? (Obviously, I’m saying that in jest because I love them.) Enter the modern colorful statement fridge.

Admittedly, I have never seen a commercial-style fridge like this one from True (or Sub-Zero, etc.) in any other color but stainless, so this was a surprise to me. But turns out, they exist! True can actually custom color-match any color you want, which I’m assuming is their answer to blending in with cabinetry, as these aren’t panel-ready friendly. But on the flip side, you can also pick a completely different color to have a little fun.

I know red and yellow can give serious Ronald McDonald vibes, but I do love a soft, mellow yellow paired with a warm brick red, like in this little pantry above by Logan Killen Interiors.

At Home with Ashley customized her Samsung Bespoke fridge with glossy blush panels. The nice thing about this specific fridge is that you can change the panels at any point if you want to swap out colors and finishes. While it’s still an expense, it’s easier to take a risk like having a pink appliance when you know you can walk it back fairly easily.

The “Undercover” Freestanding Cabinet Statement Fridge

Now we get to the new new of this category: The hidden-but-not-really fridge that’s so in your face, it doesn’t actually look like a fridge at all, but rather a giant armoire. And anyone who knows my writing knows how much I love an armoire.

kitchen trend
design by guild anderson | photo by mark bolton

The above and below images are all maybe overkill in that there are four photos, but I just wanted to show all aspects of its design (by Guild Anderson out of the UK). It’s so clever to have a fridge, freezer, and some cupboard/pantry storage all in one spot. The amount of walking I do in my fairly small kitchen between the fridge, my counters, back again, over to the pantry cabinet, back to the fridge…it’s pretty genius, or at the least very interesting to talk about.

design by guild anderson | photo by mark bolton

It’s the only one I’ve ever seen made to look like it has glass doors with a fabric curtain. It’s very much hidden, but what a statement!

Here’s a smaller design by the same company (above). And now that I’m looking at it further, something like this, though custom and likely costly, is a great solution for a space where the refrigerator works best off to the side or on a free wall that doesn’t contain cabinetry.

This custom freestanding fridge and cupboard situation was cooked up by Blockhouse Build for Matilda Goad. It has both a retro feel with the exposed door hinges, but also “now” with its rounded design.

This gorgeous hand-painted piece, in the home of The House That Lars Built, may be one of the first of its kind I’ve ever seen. Anyone would be lucky to have a cabinet this beautiful, let alone it being their FRIDGE!

You can’t see the whole kitchen above (obviously), but it’s quite symmetrical, with another large built-in just like the one seen above on the other side. One is cabinetry, the other (this one, I believe) is the fridge and freezer. Sure, this is just the next evolution of integrated fridges, but the addition of decorative molding makes such an impact.

Even with lower ceilings, the armoire-esque fridge is stately and works. Vaughn Design & Development shared that they were looking to “hide” their fridge by actually making it stand out as a freestanding cabinet. Like hiding in plain sight.

—

That’s all I have for us today. I’m always intrigued by a design idea that takes a utilitarian item and makes it into the star of the room by thinking creatively (or just adding color). What do you think about this? Do you ever see yourself breaking from the panel-ready integrated look for something like a statement fridge? Which version is most interesting to you?

Until next time, friends…

Opening Image Credits: Design by Nick Anderson for Guild Anderson | Photo by Mark Bolton

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/kitchen-trend-the-statement-fridge/feed 35 The $100 Facebook Marketplace Furniture Find That’s Endlessly Versatile https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/facebook-marketplace-furniture-barristers-bookcase https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/facebook-marketplace-furniture-barristers-bookcase#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/?p=389591 We’ve all been there: You’re at the thrift store and something catches your eye. It’s interesting, but…meh, you’re not sure […]]]>

We’ve all been there: You’re at the thrift store and something catches your eye. It’s interesting, but…meh, you’re not sure what you’d do with it, so you move on. Then, some time later, you stumble upon an image in a magazine or social feed of that very item styled beautifully, and your body is consumed with instant FOMO. You missed out, and chances are, it’s long been scooped up by someone else.

Well, today, I’m preempting that FOPOTBTI (Fear of Passing on That Beautiful Thrifted Item…clunky, I know), by sharing a piece of furniture I see over and over again any time I’m thumb-cruising through Facebook Marketplace Furniture: The barrister’s bookcase. This solid wood stacking furnishing is usually made of oak, has top-sliding glass fronts, and lends a collegiate or library vibe to any room it graces. What were all the kids calling that style recently…grandpa chic? Well…this is peak grandpa chic in all the best ways.

I love to see them in their original wood finish, though they can easily be upcycled with paint if you prefer that look. And the best part? They’re usually around $100, easy to move, and endlessly versatile.

How To Find A Barrister’s Bookcase Secondhand

For whatever reason, any time I open a secondhand marketplace app, I get served with these bookcases. They’re like a dropped penny… You find them everywhere (but, imho, not used often enough in beautiful, finished projects). I don’t find them; they find me. There have even been a few times when they have been offered for free, but typically, I see them for around $100, as mentioned. There are, of course, far more expensive ones depending on their provenance and age, but at most, they’ll run you a few hundred dollars. They are typically made from solid hardwood and sometimes have decorative leaded work in the glass fronts.

Facebook Marketplace Furniture

As you can see from the listing above, many people list them as lawyers’ bookcases, as well. This one is solid oak for $80, which, honestly, is such an immensely good deal for anything constructed from a wood like this. It appears to have an open section on the bottom middle tier, though most will have the glass doors that open from the top and slide in to be out of the way.

You may find that some listers get the name right, but it’s unclear if it’s an antique or what the above seller is calling “vintage style.” That’s kind of the name of the game with peer-to-peer marketplaces. People are posting things however they think best, so just be sure to ask some questions about the construction, age, and condition. The most common issue is the functionality of the sliding glass doors.

I love the glasswork on the top door, and the fact that this is $50 is mindblowing! If you’re near Corona, California, GRAB IT NOW!

A Little History Lesson On The Barrister’s Bookcase

Before we get into all the pretty stuff (feel free to keep scrolling if you’re getting antsy), I gotta drop a little history into what these things even are. Called barrister bookcases (though sometimes listed as lawyer bookcases or bookshelves on marketplaces), they originated in England around the 17th century. As their name suggests, they were first created for courthouses and lawyers—or barristers as they are called in England—to transport their valuable law books between offices or to store important legal documents in the courtroom. The cool thing about these is that they are modular and stackable units, a feature that, back then, made it easy to take them apart for transport.

Eventually, as things do, this type of bookcase made its way to the U.S., popularized by a company called Globe-Wernicke that marketed them as “elastic bookcases.” From there, they spread beyond law offices into homes, libraries, and even schools. Thanks to their separate sections, you could move entire libraries without packing and unpacking books! They are truly a good, functional design.

How To Style This Facebook Marketplace Marvel

The more I see these in people’s homes, styled beautifully with all kinds of trinkets, the more I’m convinced I’m going to need to add one to my case good collection when my home is larger and I have space for it. Because they are shallow, narrow, and not that tall, the barrister’s bookcase works in so many rooms, from the dining room to a home office to a living space, and even a bathroom. Though I’ll share my favorite creative use for it last (it’s a good one).

First up, from Brooklyn Art Boy, you can see how perfect it is for smaller collections like candlesticks, vessels, and vintage brass wares. The scale of it is ideal for older homes where the ceilings may be lower and rooms may be smaller, though I’m sure it would also work beautifully in a larger house, too.

How I see this piece used most often is in the dining room, housing wine and drinking glasses, alcohol, and barware. And as you can see from the two images in two separate homes, the height of a three-stacked bookcase is just begging for a piece of art, a vase, and two taper candles (how funny is that…though perhaps one informed the other??).

Have extra dinnerware and platters you want to show off? These are great as China cabinets, too. And as you can see in the image above from Minnesota Rust, you can skip the library/grandpa aesthetic with a coat of paint in a color that better suits your style and home decor.

Like perhaps a matte black as Simply Beyoutified did above (you can click the “play” arrow to see the transformation).

Want it to feel even more modern? Swap out the petite knobs for a bar pull, add something to the back panel (here, from Bre Purposed, it looks like they did a reeded or fluted paneling). If you’re going to go all in, maybe even a punchy wallpaper or a different colored interior than the exterior would be absolutely fabulous!

Yes! This is so wildly charming to me, put to use to store old quilts and linens. It’s such a beautiful way to showcase pretty things that are normally hidden behind a solid door in a linen closet. In a bathroom with some open floor space, you can put beauty products, folded towels, bath salts, and give it an apothecary look.

But above all, my absolute favorite store-away-in-my-brain-until-I-renovate-a-home concept is in a kitchen, as shown above by Heartwood Designs. This beats open shelving any day but still lends an open, airy feel that also speaks to the English kitchen style everyone loves so much (for a reason). Sure, you could have a custom-built piece atop your counters, or you could find a barrister’s bookcase for like $50 and just update the interior to match your cabinetry. I’m swooning.

—

Now that you’re inspired (I hope), onward to your favorite secondhand marketplace to find your own barrister’s bookcase. And because I personally love this “How to Make It Shine” format for secondhand home decor and furnishings, please let me know in the comments below if you’re seeing something in store or online time and again that you need a little help making look swoon-worthy.

Until next time, friends…

Opening Image Credits: Design by Malcolm Simmons | Photo by Malcolm Simmons and Andrew Hill | From: Malcolm’s DIY-FILLED Office Reveal

]]> https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/facebook-marketplace-furniture-barristers-bookcase/feed 27