home decor

Home Decor

Gretch’s Next MOTO: The Bedroom Switch Up

Timing is everything, and that’s also true in design. A little over a year ago, in April, to be exact, I revealed my first Makeover Takeover–my bedroom. I had moved into my place a few months prior and was so excited to have the opportunity to design my room from the ground up, so soon after moving in. It felt like perfect timing. I was (and still am) absolutely in love with how the space turned out. I scored some incredible furniture pieces from Article (a sick storage bed, the coolest floating headboard, and the dresser of my dreams), plus enough fabric to completely cover my walls and then some. It was awesome! But a year and two months of living in a space, even in a room you LOVE, can tend to reveal some things. Namely, how wrong I was in making the smaller room my bedroom, with the stubbed toes to prove it. I consider myself lucky to reside in a two-bedroom apartment, where both rooms are mine to do with as I please. When I moved from my last spot, “more livable space” was high on my wishlist. I’d had a garage previously, which was AWESOME but very dangerous. Not in the sense that anything could harm me (except maybe the rats, damp/crumbling walls, and broken/exposed pipes…okay maybe it was a little dangerous). But when you have a ton of extra space, especially the kind disconnected from daily life (a garage), it is alarmingly easy to fill it with extra stuff. And for me, that is very dangerous. (Later this week, Em will dive into an assessment of her own stuff, which is initially what inspired me to take a closer look at mine, so definitely check that out when it’s live!) When I had the garage, I was working a variety of freelance creative jobs and was heavily into flipping furniture and selling vintage decor on Facebook Marketplace. Having a workshop space was ideal and necessary for how I made a living. But soon enough, I started working for Em, and that garage space just wasn’t needed anymore. And yet somehow I convinced myself that most of what lived inside still was. A handful of unfinished projects, paint cans with some life left (debatable), a huge collection of vintage wares (and soooo much more) came with me to the new spot. When it was time to choose which room would serve as my bedroom and the other as my “studio”, it made more sense to me at the time to pile my mountains of crap into the larger space, thinking I would eventually turn it into a state-of-the-art creative zone and office, with plenty of room to spread out and work. Fast forward a bit, and I can barely walk inside. The in-home studio I envisioned earned its new name, The Doom Room, in record time. A place where all of my extra things went to die, disappearing out of sight and out of mind as soon as I shut the door. No systems, all chaos. And when chaos lives next door, even the dreamiest of bedrooms will begin to suffocate you. After a year in my beautiful room, I began to feel the walls closing in, and not because of the wallpaper, no complaints there–but the lack of wiggle room, in both spaces. My storage bed is so functional, but not if the drawers will only open when all of the dresser drawers across it are closed. Then there’s my clothes closet–the true catalyst for the switch up. If hang up one more romper, and I promise you that wooden rod will SNAP. I literally have to fist fight my t-shirts daily to get them back behind closed doors. And I’m sick of it!! Sick of traversing the narrow walkways of my tiny room, carved out by my big, beautiful bed. Sick of the piles of stuff ignored next door, filling the room with more and more doom every second. Sick of the overall lack of breathing room, accidental injuries, and impenetrable wall of garments. Caitlin’s closet confidential had awoken something in me. Em’s recent prop/carriage house assessment inspired me. Tripping one too many times in both of my rooms drove me insane enough to need a change. Sometimes you really just have to empty everything out, take stock, trim alllll the fat and put back only what’s really important to you, with care (and a bit of a cut-throat mentality) while trying your darnedest not to add more stuff to the stuff. Then step-and-repeating every few years because consumerism has us in a chokehold, and this is a lesson I never seem to be done learning. So that’s my plan! This is the official kick-off of my MOTO: Take 2. A reassessment. And my first step is to purge. My neighborhood is having a garage sale this weekend, and it’s the perfect opportunity (hell yes, deadline) to decide what really deserves to take up space in my life and home. Then it’s another small room challenge–this time a guest room/office that is actually useable and inspired. I want to live in a livable space! My biggest priority is having a bedroom I can actually walk around in, and plenty of room to sit back and admire the pieces I love so much, with the ability to use the drawers (all of them, at the same time) without stubbing my damn toe! I don’t have a solid design plan for either space. Concepts of a plan, sure. What I know for a fact is that all of the major elements of my first MOTO design will live on. I will not be parting ways with my bedroom furniture, only migrating it. I am not exaggerating when I say: these are some of the best pieces I’ve ever owned and still look as good as the day I got them. The headboard, storage bed, and dresser–they’ll live on in the bigger room for a chance to really shine! I will also NOT be touching the wall fabric in the smaller room. This hasn’t budged since the day I installed it (a year ago! With just liquid starch, a bucket, and a paint roller!), and I don’t intend to remove it anytime soon. But it’s totally renter-friendly, and when I am ready to take it down, I can re-use the fabric elsewhere (shameless DIY post plug)! I actually can’t fathom designing a space without adding a little DIY mojo to the mix. The wall fabric is the foundation of the smaller room, so it should be a fun challenge for me to pick pieces that work well with the existing vibe. But the DIY element in my new bedroom is yet to be determined. One big idea on the brain is: stencils. I’ve been vision boarding a lot lately and find myself continuously drawn to the vintage magazine images of stenciled, folky flowers on the walls (or the ceiling, perhaps?). It’s not necessarily renter-friendly, but I’m a friendly renter and could always paint over it when I leave. But also, I’ve been dying to play with the color stain trend I’ve been seeing everywhere lately and might need to test it out on an older piece of mine that could use a refresh (my garage workshop mentality will never die). It’s a beautiful etagere I’ve been using (and not really loving) in my bathroom, which I think would serve me better in my new big bedroom. Better yet, if the wood was stained…burgundy? Or maybe a denim-y blue? I don’t know! But I want to try. So look out for that DIY sometime down the line. That’s it for now. The grunt work comes first, hopefully followed by clarity and tons of radical vision. I’ll keep you posted as I move the needle. All in due time. Until then… Sincerely, Gretch

Home Decor

Was My Custom Primary Bedroom Bed Worth It? And Do I Regret Selling It 8 Years Ago?

Nine years ago, we designed this bed for our then-primary bedroom, and I have a lot of unresolved feelings about it. So Bold! So Fun! So Big! So Expensive! The reason we are talking about it now is that you may or may not know the custom bed that is in our current bedroom was actually designed for our guest room, not our bedroom, but the bed we had ordered for our bedroom was having some shipping delays so with the photo shoot looming (2 years ago) we put that bed in our room where it hasn’t moved and cancelled the one that was on its way. That’s all to say that I’m just now getting around to figuring out what is the perfect bed for our bedroom (I don’t love the design of the room as a whole) and I’m toying with the idea of doing something custom, which reminded me of this big bold lady that we had made almost 10 years ago. But as I was picking out fabrics, I remembered that I had some regrets/learnings with this one, so it deserved more of a deep dive, with the help of some hindsight. Before The Custom Bed… Prior to designing the new bed, I had recovered this vintage tufted headboard with a navy blue fabric. It was fun, but I suppose I wanted something even more fun, LOL. BOY DID I GET IT. The Inspiration Of The Shape I loved the idea of a modern wingback design, but fully upholstered – it felt cozy and simple. At the time, one of my design assistants, Remi, pulled the dimensions from a lot of these above to work off of. I went through a huge Rebecca Atwood phase (still love her so much) and my love of blue was perhaps at its peak (never gone away, TBH), and I LOVED this marble-y pattern so much. I don’t think I really debated it too much (I was a lot braver then, not sure why!) and make the final decision pretty quickly. The Drawings To Get A Quote Remi drew it all out for the guys to get a quote. This view was specifically important to see how the corners joined within the design that we wanted. The frame was solidly built and helped us visualize it more. I remember us debating how to orient the fabric, but not for long – it was pretty clear that the marble should run horizontally on the bed like water. Something to definitely think of for anyone customizing with patterned fabric. Installed, But Not Styled Here is what she looked like before we finished the room – it’s a lot of bed. I loved it, but I had some momentary fears of it being “too much”. It turned out beautifully and exactly how we had asked for it, but it wasn’t a quiet bed. She was LOUD. The details were really rad though… we did a good job designing it and our furniture guy executed it perfectly. The Styled Out Room When I revealed it on the blog, I think it was close to unanimous that it was awesome. Once styled out with everything more balanced it it still had a huge presence but worked a lot better. I can’t tell if this room is dated or not. I still love it! Sure, there is that still bright/airy midcentury vibe that was so big in the late 2010s but there is nothing in here I wouldn’t own again (and I still have those lamps, that painting, that bench, and that rug). So Why Did I Sell The Bed Only 1 Year Later/My Learnings? The easy reason is that we moved into our house in Los Feliz, where our room was much, much smaller, and the bed had to be in front of a low window. This was a high headboard, so even if we could get the bed into the room, it would look EXTRA MASSIVE. The way we designed the side rails and the “wings” added another 12″ overall to the bed, so I don’t think that would have fit with nightstands. But secretly, I was having a lot of internal doubt about my love of color and pattern, and felt insecure that what I liked was silly. This was 2016, the beginning of Amber Interiors, Studio McGee, and of course, the Modern Farmhouse vibe Joanna Gaines popularized. I think I felt like bold choices like this would look too amateur, young, and silly — not sophisticated, refined, or neutral enough like what was about to happen. Of course, that “warm, neutral California casual” vibe would reign supreme until 2021, where everything has certainly flipped (color and pattern are certainly back). I sold this bed for $1,500 – INSANELY LOW PRICE for what I paid and how new it was. And I’m not saying it is the exact bed that I would want right now, but I do love the boldness and the no apologies that it had. It made a statement with a big side of bravery. I think it’s pretty typical to let the outside trends of the world affect the opinion of your home, while I wish we didn’t. I’m obviously not placing blame on anything or anyone, the zeitgeist is just so strong and at times outside of our control (especially when we are young). I LOVE this bed now, it represents a time when I took chances in a really bold way. Of course, spending $3k on something that you might not love for 20 years is actually the biggest risk of all, and I tend to be a lot more cautious now (taking more risks in smaller pieces or art, rather than large custom patterned furniture).

Home Decor

My Brother’s Beautiful Guest Bedroom – A Warm and Modern Retreat

Iwouldn’t exactly say Ken asked for a pink and dare I say purple guest bedroom but here we are (and we all really love it). But the thing is, bedrooms are my favorite, and guest rooms (and kids’ rooms) are my most favorites – you can lean into an idea, a theme, or a style without as many functional constraints (like living rooms or even “storage” stuff with everyday used grownup bedrooms). It’s a luxury for sure, and one that we had so much fun designing – AND IT WAS SO EASY!! We pitched this to AllModern, and almost everything in the room is from them. They hand-vet their designs for quality and pretty much everything was delivered fast + free. See? Easy. So let’s take a tour :) We started by choosing the perfect bed – we needed a bed that would be low, i.e. a platform that didn’t have a high headboard blocking the window. I loved that the Liza Upholstered Bed from AllModern not only checked that box, but the shape of the headboard complements the more rigid squared-off window and is a softer transition in front of that big square. The fabric is a really warm light caramel that works as a neutral (that I think could go with so many color palettes). It also comes in a few neutral boucle fabrics as well. And BTW the bed was super easy to put together, FYI – just clips into place. The rest of the room came together in textures and tones with a few bolder patterns. The blackout curtains are so excellent – They are 100″ wide and 108″ long which fit this room almost perfectly (there is a bit of a puddle behind the bed) and the width of them made it so easy to cover the huge window. Shout out to our Rowena rug, which we chose because it gave a nice graphic, but simple pattern and a bit of lightness and balance to the room. The nightstands are simple, but we chose them for the mixed material (marble and walnut) and we liked the depth of the wood tone (versus just choosing white oak). I felt that this room could handle deeper, warmer tones since it got the least amount of natural light and was tucked away in the house. The nightstands are super heavy and solid, FYI – if you are into high-quality furniture (and need two people to move them) just know we are so impressed with these. The lamps are also really heavy (cement) and brought a pretty texture to the room, as well as a graphic shape of the lamp. It’s likely time to talk about the paint color which I didn’t realize I’ve used before!! It’s called Cocoa Berry by Sherwin-Williams and I just LOVE it because I randomly chose it twice (our powder bath too). It’s a really warm dark mauve that can definitely lean towards “purple”, although we try not to use that word because people have FEELINGS about purple, but this color is just gorgeous. The incredible painting is by MaryAnn Puls – they bought it from the OG Portland project years ago. It works so well in the family room downstairs, but once we brought it up here I knew we had to hang it. All the bedding and pillows are from AllModern (I also love that brown-toned pillow from the Chris Loves Julia collection on Wayfair). The room really came together so quickly – we chose the paint color last, which is not how everyone’s process works, but in my mind it’s the easiest way to do it. Choose the furniture or conversation pieces first (like the bed, rug, and art) because there are more color limitations on those things, and then make the paint color work with those (not the other way around). The architect, Anne Usher, designed all of the bedrooms to have bench niches in them so we added this beautiful Pollack fabric for the bench cushion – the deep blue felt like a really pretty complement to all the warmer pinks (and we used the green colorway in the dining room so its a call back to that). I truly LOVE how this bedroom turned out so much – the colors, tones, textures and the overall vibe really hit a 10/10 of cozy. And yet it’s so livable, comfortable, and inviting. It’s an absolute retreat of a room, and perhaps we’ll be crashing here after many a summer BBQ gone rogue :) A huge thanks to AllModern for partnering on this room and making it all so easy with excellent modern furniture and decor that mixes so well together. AllModern keeps things simple with hand-vetted modern collections. Their designs are made for real life (which I can attest to!) and are made to stand the test of time.

Home Decor

Yay Or Nay Reviews: Our Honest Feelings About 5 Major Mattress Brands (Because We’ve Slept On Them:))

Purchasing a mattress is a big deal. We spend so much time sleeping (or laying) in our beds that making the not-ideal decision for our wants and needs would be SUCH a bummer. Not to mention so cumbersome because it’s not a small little thing either. We’re here today to help you make an educated decision on the mattress that’s best for you! Over the years, we’ve tried a handful of really popular mattress brands and wanted to give our real-life, tried and true opinions. Five brands, lots of thoughts. Let’s go! Tuft & Needle From Julie: “Five years later and I’m still as in love with this mattress as day one. You know that feeling of getting cozy in a great hotel bed? That’s how it feels every night and it has great support while also being cushy. You will love a hurkle-durkle morning with this mattress.” From Emily: “This is a ‘100% satisfactory mattress’ as in it’s a solid choice. There are a few inches of softness but still pretty firm. I also love that it doesn’t feel like it’s going to lose its shape fast because of the firmness. I just feel that it’s a great middle-of-the-road softness that can please most people and guests.” From Jess: “Suprise! I have this mattress too and I really like it. While I love the feeling of a cloud-like mattress, my back has a different opinion. So like Em, I agree that it’s a medium softness which is ideal for me! I got to go to the Tuft & Needle store to try them all out so I was super confident about my decision. My only VERY silly and not important “complaint” is that the fabric cover does sometimes leave indents when I sleep on my side but clearly they go away fairly quickly. And actually this mattress is made for side sleepers like me:)” Leesa From Gretchen: “I was in dire need of a new mattress when it came time to makeover my bedroom and thankfully I scored with this Original Mattress from Leesa. While I can sleep comfortably on virtually any surface, I will say I truly LOVE this bed. It’s on the firmer side, but because it’s made of foam, it hugs your body just right. I sink in just enough to feel like I’m being cradled without being sucked in. I’ve had it for just about a year and it’s held up incredibly well – it still looks and feels brand new!” From Emily: “Honestly, I’m super jealous of this mattress. It is insanely soft and plush and is like sleeping on a cloud. The quilted topper lets you really sink in but it’s still very supportive. If I were to buy a new mattress for me and Brian now I would buy this one. A true surprise hit! So if you’re into sleeping on a cloud, this is your mattress. We have the “chill” version but haven’t noticed the cooling aspect but love it regardless.” Saatva From Ken (Emily’s Brother): “My wife and I generally prefer a firm mattress because of our back problems and this one is perfect. So ya, it’s firm but does have a little spring. Since sleeping on this mattress, both backs feel so much better! And I know this is kinda random but the fitted sheet stays on so nice. Our last mattress was a super expensive memory foam and every night the sheet would pop off. It drove me nuts. Sleeping on this mattress is a night and day compared to that one. We are so happy with this new one.” Avocado From Arlyn: “I’ve had my Avocado mattress for three years and I still feel good about it specifically because it’s organic and doesn’t have so much yuck that traditional mattresses do have like fiberglass and fire retardants. In terms of comfort, it’s a pretty firm mattress and hasn’t gotten much softer over the years. That’s actually what I was looking for, but do sometimes miss the cushiness of my old memory foam mattress. It has helped my back greatly, but am considering swapping the firm mattress topper I got from them to a softer one eventually.” Casper From Mal: “I’ve had my Casper Dream Max for about a year and I LOVE it. When I laid on it in the store it was the cushiest, comfiest mattress I tried out by far – the lady at Casper told me it’s great for side sleepers (I sleep on my side, back, and front honestly but have noticed it’s much comfier to sleep on my side than other mattresses). It doesn’t have a ton of spring to it so if that’s your thing maybe skip Casper as a brand since their mattresses are more thick, cloudlike and sinkable (while still being supportive) but it does have the technology where if you’re sleeping with a partner you can’t feel their movement in the mattress as much if they get up or shift around in the night which is awesome. I really love this mattress overall and I think it’s so so comfy while still feeling very supportive. Plus, it comes in a box to your door so it’s nice not having to deal with the hassle. BTW if you’re looking between the Dream Max and the Snow Max – I personally felt the Dream Max was way softer/comfier even though they say they’re both Medium Soft (maybe it’s because the Snow Max has 2 extra layers?). Thought I would throw that out here because I genuinely love cooling elements as a hot sleeper so I thought I would like it more but turns out I’m team Dream Max!” That’s how we all feel:) Do you all like these kinds of reviews? Let us know!! Love you, mean it.

Home Decor

Are We Over White Bedding? Here Is What I’m Into Instead…

Idon’t know you guys – it just feels like the all-white hotel-style bed is not really doing it for me, but perhaps it hasn’t for a while and I’m just now ready to announce it. Is it the fault of my year-round spray tan that leaves a body-shaped orange glow on just my side of the bed when I use white sheets? Well, yes. But even despite that, I have been drawn to slightly patterned (but not textured) sheets for a while because they tend to be more forgiving and therefore last longer. TBH I don’t understand splurging on white sheets or white towels for everyday use because they never stay bright white. But even beyond the practicality it just seems like we are moving towards a pattern-on-pattern aesthetic that is making me want floral duvets, striped sheets, plaid anything…little prints, mixed with ruffles, with quilts layered at the end. I actually pitched this post last October and recently we had a bedding refresh partnership with Anthropologie (who does the non-white bedding so well) so we snapped some photos of this extremely fun and soft floral set. It confirmed what I wanted because it just added so much life, and such an immediate impact. So today we figured we’d round up other patterns we love (and yes, you can absolutely mix a big floral with a small stripe like I did). Big Floral Patterns + Smaller Prints The large-scale floral with the tiny-scale stripe is really working for me (I know that the stripe will work on Elliot’s bed and our bed – and yes, I put king bedding on queen beds all the time and have stopped buying queen so that we can easily interchange them all). All these prints are giving “grannycore” or “cottagecore” or whatever trendy core means old world and more decorative – and I love it. It’s just so sweet. I think one of the reasons our bedding got boring was because we wanted the ease of everything matching (true story) and having bespoke bedding for each room might be too labor-intensive for you to keep track of (also true story). But again it’s just so sweet and maybe you could come up with a capsule collection of different prints that work for all the beds to mix and match? Here are some more warm-toned and equally cute/happy options! Stripes It’s no secret that I’m a fan of stripes. Simple and can go with anything and any style. So yes, I LOVE how this looks and even though it’s light the stripe adds so much and is forgiving to dingyness. It was from a bedroom we designed for one of my best friends who wanted a modern organic look…but not a boring one. I think we nailed it. Stripes also work so well with florals. Since both of these rooms have floral wallpaper and we didn’t want only solid-colored sheets, stripes were the perfect contrasting accent! Here are a few shoppable options on the market: I tend to mix stripes with solids or stripes with florals, but if you love a stripes on stripes look it can absolutely look awesome. I would probably stick with warm tones with warm stripes and cool with cool for sheet and duvet combos. Solid For those of you who love linen sheets, there are so many pretty moody colors out there – Garnet Hill, Brooklinen, Anthropologie, and Parachute all have great options. Brian and I are not into linen sheets ourselves because we love a percale, but we do love this linen bedspread (as seen below) that we put on when we have parties and people want a tour of the house. Also, I made my brother buy bone instead of bright white percale from Parachute which is a great alternative if you still want a light neutral base but don’t want white bright… Underneath those linen spreads are likely the rose or blue brushed cotton from Parachute which is my current favorite for softness and their color palette works so well in our room. Here are some awesome cool toned colorful bedding options that I really like! If you go on Bed Threads site they have a bunch of really great preset color combos if you have a hard time deciding what colors you might want in your room. Also, velvet bedding accents are definitely having a moment and Quince has some great affordable quilts. So this is your CTA to rethink the expensive white sheets and opt for a tone, a color, a print, or a pattern. Especially for a more basic room (like our pink guest room that doesn’t have its headboard yet) this bedding really livened it up and just looks so happy now.

Home Decor

The Expertly-Planned River House Primary Closet Reveal

My brother (and SIL’s closet) technically isn’t my design but once I saw it all done by the incredible team at California Closets I was so excited to style and shoot it with my team. I’ve been so happy with our closet (also by CC) and while it’s certainly a luxury full-service situation, you get exactly what you want at the end with the final design solution being so functional and customizable. Have a lot of gowns and jewelry? They know how to maximize that. Do you have mostly utilitarian boots, jeans, and fleeces? They got you. It’s such a fun exercise to go through – to really list what you have and even more importantly what you wear frequently. Ken and Katie worked with Amy Bodi of California Closets – I was sooo happy with Amy’s design of my closet so I knew they were in good hands with California Closets’ Oregon team. One of the first steps Amy does is talk through their lifestyle, AKA – what their real needs are for clothes storage. Ken and Katie (like most PNW folks) are very casual, and neither of them have typical office jobs that require multiple wardrobes. Of course, you want to design it for universal functionality in case someone does have a lot of gowns, they will be able to store them. But for the most part, Amy took the information and designed the closet to meet their needs. She sent through all the drawings where you can see clearly where the jeans could be folded and stacked, where the blouses could be hung, or where the full-length dresses would live. She might have even done the same exercise with them where I counted out roughly how many sneakers vs. boots vs. tall boots vs. heels and designed the shoe racks to make sure that there weren’t any major holes (I even have a place for my tall boots but this lady – and her husband – love some thigh highs, LOL). The customization and thought-through custom design approach is what you are paying for (well, that along with the incredible installation service – this closet took under 2 days!). Here are some shots of it without clothes in it so you can see the general layout, materials, and how they match up with the design plans. Ken and Katie chose black stained wood, with white faux leather handles, and brushed brass accents. They added a few bells and whistles you’ll see below and decided against adding extra cabinet fronts for easy access (the closet has pocket doors on both sides and can be shut off easily. They opted for a lot of drawers and shelves for jeans, and the hanging space is pretty flexible for hers or his (and some but not too many spots for long dresses or suits). We couldn’t believe that this went from blank to totally done in 2 days. Their crew are absolute pros. This is because they have their own designers and installers instead of using subcontractors, meaning they know this product. That ensures the quality is always extremely high. Before we get into the beautiful photos, here’s a little video walkthrough! (just wait for the ad to play:)) The finished product, as you can see turned out so easy to manage and keep organized, met all of their needs (and more) and I actually had to bring in a bunch of my clothes to help fill it, LOL. While Ken and Katie aren’t huge fashion folk they know that a house of this size and budget needs a really thoughtfully designed closet for future owners, so they still went for it. As you can see it’s a pass-through closet between the hallway and their bathroom (I love a closet very close to a bathroom if you can lay it out that way). Amy and the California Closet team designed it so that the drawers and shelves are on one side, all the hanging on the opposite, and miscellaneous or seasonal shelving with bins up top. The opposite view shows their Maddox wall organizer which is great for setting out clothes, or more realistically, steaming them or hanging belts and robes. The finishes are all very high quality and coordinated. It’s a nice detail that puts the simple hook to shame. California Closets did such a great job of allocating each shelf for different things (and please note the mirror that is tucked away by the dresses – you’ll see it down below. The closet rods are wrapped in faux leather which is such a nice high-end detail (and makes it so easy to slide hangers). Ken and Katie went with only one full-length hanging rod, the rest for blouses, jackets, or pants. Above, we bought bins for seasonal items (or things like Spanx, slips, and specialty clothes). Secret Accessories FTW Two things that Katie and Ken went with are the pull-out hamper and again, a mirror that slides out and pivots – GENIUS. You could obviously use the hamper for laundry of course (it slips out easily), but they use it for dry cleaning. I think one of the biggest benefits of California Closets is the drawer customization (which is harder to get off the shelf, obviously – ha, pun intended). It precludes the need for a dresser in your bedroom – underwear, bras, socks all the annoying little stuff can have designated areas as well as T-shirts, athleisure, etc. For Katie, we styled sweaters, sweatshirts, and shoes on the shelves, but could easily have put jeans if you didn’t want to hang them up. When it comes to shoes, California Closets has a lot of different suggestions (for instance, Brian and I aren’t big shoe people so we did some pull-out drawer shelves and taller cabinets for my tall boots). For Katie and Ken, they wanted flexibility with the shelves so they selected shoe shelves on top (for heels or more occasional shoes) and we styled the rest of the shelves with everyday shoes, but those could easily be for stacks of anything, or baskets full of scarves, etc. The leather and brass detail make it look so high-end and luxe. There are a lot of different options (or you can use your own like we did for our closet). Quite possibly the best perk of this are these jewelry pullouts (that are lit with special lights). Listen, in case you are a robber you should know that these are all either my jewelry or props we bought for the shoot, but if you have fine jewelry this is such a lovely way to keep them organized, not to mention visually pleasing. A huge thanks to California Closets for designing and partnering on my brother’s closet. It’s a total luxury because you get it all totally customized for your needs and installed by professionals. If it’s in your budget for even a simple design solution it’s pretty darn incredible. Thanks, Amy Bodi for helping my brother and SIL – they are extremely happy:)

Home Decor

My Niece’s Colorful Tween Bedroom Reveal That She Will Hopefully Still Love In Five Years :)

OK, I learned a LOT from doing Elliot’s bedroom which really informed the way I designed her best friend’s (and cousin’s bedroom) that you are going to see today. What I didn’t realize (first-time pre-tween mom here) is how much their likes and dislikes will change, like monthly. So with K’s room, I, of course, asked her her current likes and dislikes, colors, etc. but I intentionally left it so that if and when her styles or color preferences change, it wouldn’t be a big expense. And yet this room is actually full of a lot of color and so many high-quality pieces which are all from AllModern. I feel so grateful we got to give her these really special pieces that she will easily grow with. I can’t wait to show you. The Room Before The room has a great foundation – pretty white oak (Stuga, Shell) flooring and wood ceiling (Stuga, Drift). There are two large windows, so a ton of natural light, and two big blank walls for the bed and dresser. Opposite the bed is a daybed with storage and a reach-in closet (that we already wallpapered and revealed for a partnership, HERE). So when AllModern reached out for a series of makeovers this year and my brother expressed that they had NOTHING for K’s room when they moved in, I knew that stylistically it would be perfect (and yes, this 10-year-old is getting really high-quality furniture that she can keep forever). Without further ado, the reveal! We’ve also made a video tour of the space, which you can view while perusing the rest of the photos. (The player will shrink down into the corner, or, if you’re on your phone, it’ll play above the text!) A High-Quality Base Layer – I.E. Good, Simple Furniture Now there are a million ways to build a room, of course. For this house and this room, I wanted it to have the same warm minimal vibe as the house -streamlined and organic, but with enough color to make it feel youthful and fun. Here were the functional needs that K requested: Green and Purple – Ok, but we’d do a non-obnoxious, more timeless version of it and not, like a LOT of it. Queen Bed – Great for sleepovers, snuggling with parents, and can double as an extra guest room. A Desk – If they could go back in time they would have turned the nook into a desk (although I hear that teens love the idea of a desk more than they actually use it), but I also got a lot of advice from you that having it double as a vanity would be really functional for them. A Dresser – While they have a reach-in closet, it doesn’t have drawers, and kids aren’t the best at hanging up clothes or stacking their folded clothes. Because of these needs, the layout of the room and the furniture choices were greatly informed. We’d flank a powerful queen bed with a desk and a small stool (allowing space for the dresser without being too crowded) and achieve a sense of balance with the sconce on the right. So as you can see, while we dismissed symmetry (which I typically love in a bedroom) having it be asymmetrical not only gave them the function that they needed but also made it more playful (less serious). We wanted to get her furniture that she could easily grow with which meant high-quality and timeless — exactly what you’d expect from AllModern. But to make it feel perfect for a 10-year-old we shook up the layout and added a ton of color really which brought in that fun, youthful energy. AllModern’s pieces bring together everything I love about modern design—clean lines, unique details, and amazing quality. That desk, mirror, and sconce are perfect examples: sleek, functional, and anything but boring. The bed is another standout with its soft green boucle upholstery, fully upholstered frame, and solid build. We knew that bedding was a place we could really add some color, so we took this awesome throw with cool very Gen Z colors on it (wait, is she Gen Alpha???) and accessorized with it. The green pillow is from AllModern and the purple and gold stripe behind it we had made (it works with the custom bench pad we made – keep scrolling). We didn’t want any white bedding (y’all, I think the decades of white bedding might be done!) and mixed this darker rose, light mauve, and powder blue. I love the mix so much. You might be wondering what the art, butterfly, and ivy situation above it is, and I get that. We went BACK AND FORTH asking ourselves “Is this cool or try hard?” and every time we decided that we loved it! The art is a print that they already owned, and I really like it (we actually bought it for the original Portland project), but the white of the print with the white frame just wasn’t enough to “hold the wall”. So by adding faux greenery and whimsical butterflies (so affordable). It draws your eye there, definitely adds some youth, and it was cheap and will be very easy to remove. On the opposite side of the room is this round side table which I think is the perfect complement to the desk and works so well with the adjacent dresser (a proper nightstand would have been too clunky next to this). This is definitely a case of the “matching set but make it cool” because yes, all the furniture is white oak, but it’s not boring and clearly feels purposefully designed, not just put in a room. On the other side of the room, we have this awesome dresser, also made out of white oak with push-open drawers (so no hardware needed). It’s gorgeous and so well made. Above it, you have another one of our bulletin board DIYS (this is our third now). We are doing a full post about how we did this one but it’s so huge, fun, and so affordable. It gives 90s “Nickelodeon,” right??? Step by step coming soon :) All the colors play off each other so nicely and the zig-zag just gives it so much playfulness and a sense of “now”. For the window treatments, they hired Decorview for the big windows, mostly because they wanted the top-down, bottom-up function (to block the view from the street that could see into her bedroom. You can’t buy them online, it’s a full-service situation and not terribly budget-friendly but certainly high quality and they do allll the hard work. They didn’t want blackout because they wanted to let light in should they want them closed during the day (plus K is one of those unicorns that sleeps til 10 on the weekends, 11 in the summer – TRULY WILD). So we added some additional curtains to frame the windows, but they stay mostly open. I’m absolutely obsessed with this shot – it’s just so pretty!!! The arch of the mirror is gorgeous (and you can see it walking down the hallway – so impactful). And I love how I designed the bench cushion – green velvet on top but that same purple and gold stripe on the front. Thanks to Ivan at Alexander Matthews for executing it so perfectly. Such a dreamy little nook. We had the bolsters made as well. The drum table was in her brother’s room and we just brought it in for the shots to have something in the foreground, but looks pretty cute. The sconces and ceiling lights are Rejuvenation. I LOVE them – they are graphic and modern, high quality and timeless. And I love the chandelier in here. We needed multiple bulbs since there are no recessed lights, so this adds a lot of light in a really beautiful way. I’m so proud of this room and K LOVES IT. They were out of town while we shot and listen, their kids didn’t ask to be on my social anyway, so no she isn’t here. And if you are wondering where all the “Purple” is, the answer is that our new Mallory rug (which is one of my favorites) got lost by FedEx coming from our shoot at the mountain house. And then we couldn’t get it in time for the shoot, but it’s the most gorgeous color of purple, IMHO, and I’m even considering it for my living room. I think we actually called it “Dark Brown” via Rugs USA, but if you know anyone who wants a very sophisticated purple it’s for you. We are going to reshoot this room with it in the new year (and add some posters for K, which she wants). But The Elliot in Rust is also one of my favorite rugs – just much mauvier and lighter. But still so soft and pretty. A huge thanks to AllModern for having an excellent selection of furniture, curated for those into more modern design for sure, with pieces that will last forever (think heirloom modern pieces). Sure, there are some more trend-forward pieces (like that bench) that can shake it up and help make a room not feel so safe, but as a whole, I think the room turned out so curated, fun, and easy for her to grow, change, add to and swap out the colors and accessories. Oh, and I was so happy with how fast everything arrived. Fast and free shipping means a lot these days:)

Home Decor

Bring The Light In! Hilton Carter Totally Transformed His Attic Into Bright, Plant-Friendly, Guestroom

Hi! Happy Tuesday. I thought it’d be nice to kick off this new week with a bright, happy, inspiring makeover from our dear friend, Hilton Carter. Shall we step inside? (Take your coat off. We’ll catch up.) Now, you might know Hilton from his series of hit books, his incredible Plant Rants, or from his fabulous Target collection…but today, we’re hanging out inside his newly-renovated attic. It’s the hit of positive energy and cheery light that we could all use on these dark fall nights – you’re going to love it. Let me catch you up to speed: with a second daughter on the way, Hilton needed to carve out space for a usable guest room. “Before this, the third floor was mainly used for storage and my Peloton,” he says. “It wasn’t insulated and of course was the hottest room in the house. Great for working out, but not for having guests stay over. Two of the dormers were used for storage and the other for HVAC.” Hilton needed to make it guest-ready as quickly as possible – “mainly [for] in-laws visiting to help with the kids at the moment,” he says” – and undertook a few key transformations. He replaced the falling plaster with new drywall; he removed the carpeting and had the floor insulated; he updated the HVAC; he chose to open the ceiling to give the room more height (such a wise call!); he removed a dormer; and he carved out space for two new skylights. “I can’t exist in space without plants, so in order to make sure any plants brought into this room could live their best life, I needed to add more daylight. So we added two skylights and let the skies in!” “For me, it was exciting seeing the roof getting cut open and seeing the light fall into the room. And then: design inspiration. “The carpet covering the floor had to go and just as you would expect, there was nice wood flooring underneath,” Hilton says. “But it would have taken a lot to restore them to look as nice as the floors and the rest of the house.” He turned to a trusted friend, Leanne Ford, who “convinced me to paint them white…like, Leanne Ford white…like, WHITE WHITE,” Hilton says. “And as she does it, ALL WHITE EVERYTHING.” He complemented the monotone look by transforming his newly-revealed beams into a design element. “I knew there would be beams there, but it was unclear if they would be right to keep exposed,” Hilton says. “I’m very happy we did – it really helps the look and feel of the room.” “The goal was to make the guest room bright and welcoming,” Hilton continues. “It felt like such a dark space and the addition of skylight filled the room with natural light. Now that they’re in, the room is just full of joy.” We’re also no stranger to skylights here – we’re Velux loyalists, having installed them in more projects than I can count! – so I was happy to see that Hilton opted for the same high-quality product that we love. (PS. ICYMI, I’d urge you to enter the Autumn Glow giveaway! You can win two solar-powered Fresh Air skylights – that’s the kind you’ve seen in our projects over the past few years – plus shades and installation. Someone has to win and I’d be so excited if it was you!) Once the room had been painted, Hilton added a bit of charm and architectural detail back to the space. “I decided on the shiplap because with making the decision to paint the entire room white, I thought having two walls with shiplap would create a nice accent but also mimic the lines of the wood flooring,” he says. “And no, it wasn’t DIY. They were purchased.” (Great news for those of us who lack the tooling and/or focus to cut our own planks for our walls!) “As someone that can stare at a blemish on a white wall until it drives them absolutely nuts, painting my floors white seemed like punishment,” Hilton says. “But after thinking about how I wanted the room to feel bright and vibrant, having the entire room white could create that instantly, especially when reflecting light from the skylights…with so much white, it’s time to add color!” And on that note…are you ready to see how he styled his space? HOW CUTE IS THIS? Do you not just want to cuddle up here, grab a book from the shelving unit, and watch the clouds pass overhead? There are so many smart, thoughtful details – let’s dive in, starting with those graphic layered rugs, which served as the jumping-off point for the color palette. “With them covering so much of the room, I knew that I could fill the room with bright vibrant colors,” Hilton says. I love how the flat weave and the plush woven rug work together here – they’re a big statement on their own, but they’re balanced here by the quiet white backdrop. Certain hues of yellow can come off as loud or overpowering, but this warm ochre base tone leaves Hilton’s room feeling luxe, cozy, and comfortable. (“I doubled up on the rugs because I love a good layered look and because I just couldn’t make up my mind,” Hilton says.”) Be sure to clock the outlets and switches that flank both sides of this king-sized bed, too – those are some of the smart, thoughtful details I mentioned! If you’re hosting guests regularly, rethinking the placement and positioning of your lighting and outlets will take your guest room experience to the next level. None of Hilton’s spaces would feel complete without a few well-chosen plants…so naturally, we had to get the lowdown on how he landed on the plants for this room. “My plant styling process always starts with the amount of light that is coming into the room,” he says. “With the addition of the skylights, I was able to place whatever plant I wanted up there because the room is full of light. With my options being endless, my next thoughts were what would fit under the vaulted ceilings perfectly.” He ended up sourcing a Schefflera, Snake Plant, Satin Pothos, Monstera Thai Constellation, Philodendron Florida Beauty, Philodendron Xanadu, and a Ficus Tineke for this room. (And I urge you to watch this clip for more plant styling tips. You can see how Hilton is training some of his vines to grow up the beams – it’s super neat, but also super helpful for those of us who struggle with trailing plants!) Guests are already returning with rave reviews. “The room has been enjoyed by my mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and a few friends. All have loved it and have overstayed their welcome,” Hilton kids. “I’m joking. We wanted to make a guest room that would make our family and friends feel at home. We’re lucky that they want to stay with us. Especially with a toddler and infant in the house.” Weary guests can open or close the skylights’ shades with the tap of a remote, so a good nap (or a restful night’s sleep) is never too far away. “Once it was completed my wife and I were very jealous that it wasn’t our bedroom. Good thing we made plans to make sure our bedroom was also going to be renovated and styled so that we wouldn’t feel too bad about it,” he jokes. (It turned out super cute, too – catch up on their primary suite here!) But wait, there’s more! “We decided to remove the wall and door into one of the dormers to open up, giving us a nice little nook,” Hilton says. You can take a peek at this secret area (and the adorable bistro set that Hilton sourced) by checking out this video tour. It looks great in the photos, but the warmth and care just shine through this clip. Thanks to our pal Hilton for the tour of his inspiring home, thanks to Velux for the tip-off on the giveaway (don’t forget – you have til 11/30 to apply!), and thanks to you for being here! I hope that this bright space can make your day a little brighter, too. Any thoughts?

Home Decor

RIVER HOUSE REVEAL: My Brother’s Primary Bedroom – How We Added Color While Keeping The Calm

Y’all, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I love designing a bedroom. Unlike a family room that has to act as a playroom, seating area, TV room with storage, etc, this room needs a singular function – sleep – (ahem), welcomes symmetry (less decisions!), and by nature of the space you don’t have a ton of options. This room was always meant to be calm, simple, white, and wood with huge windows (per the rest of the main spaces in the house) which lends itself easy to be designed. But the easy pitfall with more neutral rooms is that they can look boring (especially on the internet these days). So I needed to still honor the original intent (warm minimalism, focus on the views) while exerting some style and punch (new by-line?). And I LOVE how it turned out. But before you see it all decked out, let’s talk through the bones: The Bones – Flooring, Ceiling, Paint, Windows And Lighting The house was designed and laid out by Anne Usher, their architect. I love how she played with volume, light, the views, and didn’t just create a box. The triangular jut outs from the window seat are such a pretty architectural feature that you see immediately when you walk in. The wood flooring is Shell by Stuga, and the ceiling is also from Stuga, called Drift. If you are nervous about putting wood flooring on your walls or ceiling stay tuned for a blog post soon – we think if you do it right it looks AWESOME. The walls are the most perfect warm, but not too yellow white called Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams. It’s my new go-to white. Boy am I jealous that I had to learn my hard “not every white is equal” lesson in our house, but glad I did so that we chose the most perfect white here. The windows are by Marvin – white oak on the inside, black aluminum clad on the outside. The spotlights are from Rejuvenation and are so much prettier than recessed lighting (but less light, FYI so make sure you have other light sources). We also put in this fan which we still need to add an extender on (which came this week lol), so they’ll have that light source as well. It was a really simple space, as they all are when they are empty, and it was ready for some punch and style. Step on in… The Bed Wall Headboard | Bedframe | Rug | Nightstands | Lamp Base (vinage) | Pleated Shades | Sconces | Painting This room wasn’t as much of a challenge as other bedrooms I’ve done (layout wise), but the bed wall was more narrow and the room itself was more long, less square especially for a wider king bed. So when I started thinking about how to anchor this room, I wanted a bed/headboard that would be grounding enough to handle these high ceilings, to hold the wall with enough impact, add some color (but not in a super bold way), and frankly not look dinky and short but not be so big that you couldn’t fit proper nightstands. It was tight, TBH. So when I found this headboard from Article – wide, with channel tufting and the most beautiful green I designed the room around it. It could anchor the wall in a powerful way, and the right nightstands could tuck right inside. The headboard (and bed) from Article allowed us to casually float these rounded nightstands (which have storage – opens like a cabinet) and look good from all sides – which is important because if they are floating in front of the nightstand you’ll see the back as you walk in. This worked PERFECTLY and I love how the ribbing on the nightstands mimics the channel tufting on the bed (and the pleating on the lamps). We paired the headboard (that attaches to the wall with a big cleat) with the light oak platform bed from Article which is a move that I love to do – you don’t need a fully upholstered bed if the base contrasts enough and is pretty like this one. In fact, I’d argue that if you are on a budget get this headboard then use a basic base with a bed skirt – the headboard packs so much punch for the price. I love how the sconces flank the painting and take up more of the visual space above the bed, softening the shift between the horizontal headboard and vertical painting (plus they provide nice reading light). If you want a video tour the space HERE YA GO (just wait for the ad to play) The Most Beautiful Painting This painting by local Portland artist Charlie Salas Humera and is incredible. I was tipped off to his work last year (shout out to Purl!) and have been stalking him to see what I can buy for my house or convince my bro to buy. His use of color is incredible. When this came up on his stories I begged my brother and SIL to go see it in person – I knew I loved it, but it was an investment as good art should be and I needed them to love it, too. They did and bought it (support local good artist if you have the budget!) and my goodness does it make this room, color-wise, totally sing. The Lamps And Sconces I bought these vintage lamps when Charlie was a baby off Etsy, one of my first vintage splurges ever (I think they were $300 each). They are from Sweden and I’ve loved them for so long, and had no intention of using them here. We actually ordered these from West Elm that are so similar but they didn’t arrive in time, so I pulled these lamps from storage, ordered the pleated lampshades which did arrive in time. And while I wouldn’t put the two blues typically together, both colors are in the painting so collectively I think it looks really curated and intentional. The second I placed the lamps Gretchen, Emily M. and I all gasped. It took the room next level. And while I wouldn’t sell these lamps to just anybody (I have a strange sentimental attachment to them as I remember the exact time, place and mood I was in when I ordered them and it was a very, very special time in our lives) having them at my brother’s house felt emotionally doable for me, LOL. I can still visit them! Creepy! The Rug – The Remy Rug In Green The rug is our new Remy rug, in green from our new Rugs USA collection that just launched last week and we LOVE this rug. It’s so soft, has texture variation, and a really beautiful rich color that is really forgiving. It’s wool, durable, and the graphic staggered rectangles are totally transitional – they can live in both modern/contemporary houses like this but is so simple that it can easily be in a more traditional home as well. The View This room has the most incredible views of the river and trees (which is why Anne faced the bed that way). The huge wood windows anchor the opposite wall and create the focal point of the room. We hired Decorview for motorized shades (hard-wired, during the construction process) and we chose a color that integrated well with the wood and is just warm and soft. The shades are room darkening (“blackout” but there is always a tiny light leak in the center) and you can even do top down/bottom up, meaning if you want privacy up to your chest you can control them to go from the bottom up to any point, allowing light to come in from the top. The Window Seat There are a hilarious amount of window seats in this house, all full of storage and done in a rift-sawn white oak. This one, if head by the sconce has the most beautiful views of the river and is where my bro claims he will be napping. We made them deep enough (30″) to be ample for napping (and in the kids’ rooms they can have friends sleep on them for sleepovers). I found the most incredible fabric at our local upholsterer (shout out to Alexander Matthews in Tigard). The fabric is from Pollack and is called Boxing Day. I love how the pattern (that is a soft, textured cut velvet) integrates so easily with the wood and yet still adds some pattern and punch. We could have done a solid over here but with the solid rug and headboard I really wanted to bring in a pattern somewhere and this is perfect. Opposite the bed, we have the most cozy and big chair and ottoman, the Abisko from Article. This corner needed a big guy (and yes, we thought about putting it facing the view, but ultimately they wanted it to face the TV which worked better for me, too) and the scale of this chair and its low profile is perfect. It also comes in a few other awesome colors. The chair is firm and so comfortable (not a sinking-in chair, but very ergonomic and easy to snuggle in (with a child) with a really generous ottoman. The side table is so graphic and cool (and functional and heavy). The lamp has a great tripod base and mixed finishes – both wood, black, and of course a fabric shade. The painting I bought at Urbanite by an artist unknown (if you know let me know!). Vase and pillow from Anthropologie, marble dish from Target, and throw from Article. The bedding is a mix of a bunch of brands we shopped from. Upon my advisement, Katie bought the sheets/pillowcases and duvet in ‘bone’ from Parachute which is a really warm neutral (their heathered percale is so buttery and my current favorite). For styling, we added the Garnet Hill green linen duvet, a Parachute blue quilt, a linen throw from Garnet Hill, velvet pillows from West Elm, and custom bolsters (that were originally made for their daughter’s window seat but look sooo good here). The whole bed looked so layered and cozy (and while I wanted a bench at the end of the bed, walking around another piece of furniture to get to the bathroom made less sense. As you can see up there, the bathroom is on the left with a pocket door (it’s so pretty, I can’t WAIT to show you – hopefully soon). We installed a Frame TV on an arm so they can watch TV in bed (this was a whole thing but a pretty good solution). I want to now go back and shoot a reel coming out and showing how it works. They had to put a huge cavity in the wall to house the arm, FYI. The whole room turned out so bright and cohesive, but simple and warm. I love it so much. No unnecessary clutter or opportunity for clutter. They are lucky enough to have a walk-in closet (behind the headboard wall, coming soon) storage drawers in the bench, and an additional reach-in closet so this room didn’t need a dresser and hopefully won’t have a lot of clothes mess. It’s ready for a cozy Saturday morning and simple relaxation. A huge thanks to Article who has been a partner of mine for years because I love and trust their quality and design. If you know me IRL you’ll hear me recommend them to anyone who wants high quality, without spending a ton and most things can come within weeks. I have found all of their upholstered pieces to be very comfortable and they have even added a ton more fabrics to choose from should you want custom colors on their sofas and chairs. I really appreciate how they are doing things in a very simple and thoughtful way, expanding their lines slowly, making sure that everything meets their standards and their customer service is excellent.

Home Decor

A Quick MOTO Bedroom Update: Caitlin And Jess Have Fun New Additions But Also Need Some Help!

Hello!!! We promise we haven’t forgotten you or our bedrooms. But admittedly, Caitlin and I both know we haven’t been as on top of our bedroom progress as we had hoped. SO SORRY!! However, progress has been made (I actually have a very exciting announcement:))!! So today we wanted to give a little update on the progress and ask y’alls opinion about a couple of things we are a little stuck on. Design should always be collaborative! So we’ll spare you a long intro and just get right to it. Caitlin take it away… Caitlin Before we get into it – everyone, please wish Jess a happy birthday! I couldn’t ask for a better work wife, friend, confidant, or inspiration. I was nervous meeting Jess for the first time – I was intimidated by how cool she was! – and was pleasantly surprised to discover the kindest person I’ve ever known. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUNGO! I know. I KNOW! I know what you’re thinking. “Caitlin, you’ve been working on this space for over a year. What’s the holdup?” It’s a fair ask, so I’d like to see your question and raise you an inquiry of my own: am I, uh, dumb? Because guys – I can’t figure out how to go faster. How are you managing your decorating budget with your more necessary expenditures? Am I totally missing something? (Seriously, I’m asking.) Maybe you can relate – it just feels like a struggle to prioritize my own home when there are birthday presents to buy, destination bachelorette parties and weddings to attend, cross-country moves to pay off, car payments, medical bill installments…it all adds up so fast! So time and time again, this (functional, livable, halfway-finished) space is pushed to the back burner. I’ve been struck by the curse of the “good enough for now” room – has anyone else been afflicted? PLEASE ADVISE. But it’s not all doom and gloom! Over the past few months, I was able to stash away a seemingly-paltry sum – just over $1,000 – which I spent on a few essential upgrades. My biggest splurge was on this vintage Danish teak and mahogany gentleman’s chest. It’s perfectly sized for the space (4′ wide and nearly 4′ tall!) with an ultra-functional combination of dressers and shelves. I paid $750 in total for this one – including delivery from the Palm Desert area, over two hours away! – so it wasn’t cheap, but it was well worth the wait. But it’s not all doom and gloom! Over the past few months, I was able to stash away a seemingly-paltry sum – just over $1,000 – which I spent on a few essential upgrades. My biggest splurge was on this vintage Danish teak and mahogany gentleman’s chest. It’s perfectly sized for the space (4′ wide and nearly 4′ tall!) with an ultra-functional combination of dressers and shelves. I paid $750 in total for this one – including delivery from the Palm Desert area, over two hours away! – so it wasn’t cheap, but it was well worth the wait. Looking into the room, you may clock two new additions: plug-in Stilnovo-style sconces! The damage? $127.45 for the pair, and $84.73 for the TaskRabbit who mounted them to the plaster wall. The shipping took an eternity and we had to manually assemble each sconce, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the finished product. I still need to mask the cords a bit (using this tutorial from Sara, bless her), but I’m holding off until we land on a paint color. To that end: help! The cognac/cobalt/olive/gold color palette is MUCH more flexible than I’d anticipated – it looks good with every paint color I’ve thrown into my mockup! When all of your options are good options, how do you decide? (I’m open to suggestions. Begging for them, even!) It wouldn’t be an update post without an admission of regret: I don’t think I made the right nightstand call. I grabbed these Serena & Lily-style side tables at TJ Maxx, and they’re a perfect fit in so many ways…but now, after the addition of the wood dresser, they look a little out of place. Too coastal? Too glam? Too fussy? These nightstands do technically check all of my boxes – the right size, the right shape, the right functionality – but something is off. Am I overthinking, or do you agree? Man – the room gets more and more unhinged as we go! DON’T JUDGE ME, PLEASE. This is my dresser, stylishly adorned with the 12-year-old television from my first apartment in LA. I love having two TVs in the house – Dennis can play EAFC with his friends in the living room while I binge Investigation Discovery in the bedroom – but this placement is GARBAGE. Den’s view of the TV is often blocked; I’m essentially parallel with the screen, which is surprisingly not conducive to productive viewing; and, most importantly, I’m wasting SO MUCH GOOD STYLING SPACE. The flat surface that houses our monstrous black box will soon play host to 9 square feet of art, trinkets, and ephemera. Just you wait!!! Which brings us to our final wall: a big, blank, shoe-corralling YAWNFEST. I’m imagining a Frame TV hiding up here, mixed amongst some sort of gallery wall. (A TV we can both watch while laying in bed at night, no strange positioning required! Can you imagine?) Ideally, I’d like to move the shoe storage out of the bedroom entirely – we have a lot of hall space, and I think I could figure out a way to hide them with some sort of skirted table – but I am very open to suggestions. I know that this all doesn’t seem like much, but it’s felt like a lot of progress to me! I do still have a few large expenses looming: a good vintage light fixture (and an electrician to install it – our building still has the original wiring, and I know my skill level), the Frame TV, high-quality framing for a few precious art pieces, and maybe some swapped nightstands…but I can (truly) see the light at the end of the tunnel! I know I can DIY some window treatments; I know we can handle painting; I know that eventually, it’ll cool down enough to warrant making the bed with more than a sheet. It’s getting there! But man, I’ll take all the feedback I can get. What say you??? Jess Alright, first things first… I NO LONGER AM SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR!! Let me tell you that I. Feel. Different. More together. More distinguished. Maybe less embarrassed to have friends see my bedroom. It’s been amazing. The first night was wild. It was like I was sleeping on a tower overseeing all of my land. After that, I nearly set up an office in my bed but knew I’d have no chance of actual productivity. But man, between my new custom Buildlane bed (saying that is still a dream come true) and my Tuft & Needle mattress, you can’t tell me that when I’m in that room I’m not a full-blown freaking princess. Here is a sneak peek. AHHH!! BUT WAIT. Please please know that literally 95% of the bedding and the rug will change! Right now this room is a hundred shades of beige but NOT in a way I think is good and to me it just looks drab. So avert your eyes from those things and focus on that beautiful bed and incredible bench:) Can you stand it!? I have a bed and it’s one that I know I’ll love forever. I said it in my last post about the design process, but the goal was not only to design exactly what I wanted for this room but to also make sure this bed was versatile style-wise for the future. I chose fabrics and colors I’ve loved my whole life so regardless of what room and style I put with this bed, it will work. I will also steam it a little more before the shoot I promise. But I kinda love the lived-in look. This is a much better representation of what the colors look like in person. Warm but elevated (that’s at least what I’m telling myself the vibe is). As a reminder, I got these incredible fabrics from Kravet. The velvet is Clarke & Clarke in “Honey” and the linen is Kravet Basics x Thom Filicia in Sweeting – Ivory. I also couldn’t be happier with Buildlane’s construction! It’s exactly what I envisioned. If you are a designer that needs custom furniture I can’t recommend either of these companies more. Oh, and that little wall sticker in the first bedroom photo is the paint color I’ve chosen! White Flour by Sherwin-Williams. If you can believe it allllll of these sticker samples are white. Like white, white! But as you can see, in my room some go blue, purple, and even yellow. Wild, right?? I even ordered the one that Sara used in her living and dining room and it’s the top middle one. It’s so blue in my room but perfect and happy in hers. Before I ordered the samples I was sure that was going to be the one before I put it up on my wall. That’s why testing is sooooo important in the space you are painting. Recs are great but it’s impossible to make a final call without getting a swatch in the actual room. DON’T DO IT, K?? I know that painting it a different white seems a little nuts to some but that’s exactly what I did in my last apartment and it made all the difference. It felt brand new in the best way so I am pumped to get this color up on these walls! Plus, since I’ve lived there for almost 4 years my wonderful landlord is paying for the painter. Thank the lord since I legit have 11 doors in my bedroom (french doors and screens to the balcony) as well as all that trim. So could I do it myself?? Technically yes but it’s a no for me dawg. Now, let’s hear it for the bench! I am still pinching myself that I, Jessica A. Bunge, have a Katy Skelton piece in my home. Due to some back-ordering issues for the original Kelly Wearster patterned fabric that I had picked out, I decided to go solid with the main bench fabric. I matched the color to the off-white in the Gaston Y Daniela green check fabric which turned out to be this Kravet Basics. It’s actually so so perfect and gives me a lot more room to play with pattern on the bedding. Plus if I’m totally honest, I was getting a little “square happy” and very grateful to have been pushed to pull back a little:) Look, your girl loves a square shape and sometimes I need to be saved from myself! So again, PLEASE ignore the bedding and rug you see. It’s NOT how it will look when it’s done. Can you tell I’m extremely nervous people will think that I think this looks good?? It just doesn’t do the bed or bench any justice! Now, I have two questions on a different topic. I’m not sold on what I should do for my curtains. Question #1: I love the lightness of my simple linen IKEA panels but have dreams of them being a soft warm taupe. Should I get new ones or try to stain them with maybe tea?? My only concern is that I do really like them as-is and could save them for the future. The I could just get new panels in the color I want. Oh, and here’s yet another ask to please pardon the mess that was my bedroom last year! This was the only decent picture I had to show the curtains. I also realized I’m going to have to get them hemmed if I don’t raise the rod which is annoying but not the end of the world. See next question… Question #2: I’m undecided about where I would hang my curtain rod. As you can see it’s currently it’s on the window moulding. I’ve always intended to raise it above to give the room more height. But since this is a 110-year-old building maybe that’s not the move? But I’m also planning on doing a tile border under the crown moulding so covering the majority of that side might look strange? Thoughts?? Now, I typed this question and then I made these graphics and I’m more torn. I way prefer the rod above the moulding (I realized I did in my living room lol) but picturing the tile and having them under the rod does seem odd. I just don’t know. I guess I’ll tile first and then decide?? Again, thoughts? Ok, that’s where we’re at and again, we promise we are moving as fast as we can! Any thoughts on our questions would greatly be appreciated:) BYEEEE

Home Decor

FINALLY! A Bathroom Remodel Plan For The Two 90s Bathrooms In Kaitlin’s Home

Well, I guess this is where I formally introduce myself to you, EHD readers! You’ve seen many photos I’ve taken, you’ve seen my basement, bedroom and living room makeovers that our girl, Emily, has so graciously helped us design, and you may have seen small bits of my face in some of the photos/videos from team retreats—I’m more of a behind-the-camera-gal than in front of it. While I’m not an official EHD employee, it’s been so fun to be a part of this team. Back in 2021, my family and I made the big move from the Eastside of Portland to the Westside for more space/more yard/slower lifestyle, etc. All the same reasons a lot of young parents move to the ‘burbs. Around that same time, a mutual friend of both Emily and I, Max Humphrey, introduced the two of us. The Hendersons’ rental house (while the farmhouse was being renovated) was in my neighborhood. Because we lived so close, Max thought Emily and I should be friends :) While she’s no longer up the street from me, she’s just a short 7-minute door-to-door drive away. It’s been a pretty great little partnership/friendship these past few years. Emily has given a little bit of a rundown of our home in previous reveals, but as a refresher, our home was built in 1962, and we are the second owners. The previous owners made a few (somewhat questionable) updates, likely in the 90s/early 2000s. But we still did a pretty large and necessary remodel when we moved in. We pretty much painted everything white to start, and slowly, with the help of Emily, have been adding in more color and character. The Bathrooms Though we made some pretty major changes early on, money and patience ran dry, and we were okay, or more like had to be okay, putting bathrooms on the back burner, knowing very well that someday they would need some serious love. The Primary Here’s what the primary bathroom looked like on the day we bought the house. And truly, before our contractors demo’d it a couple of weeks ago, it still looked pretty much exactly like this 4 years later! I had zero desire to do an “in the meantime” quick makeover. I didn’t want to replace hardware, paint the cabinets, hang a new towel bar–I didn’t want to waste a single dollar on bettering this space. (I’m the boring penny-pincher in my family, can you tell?) Honestly, aside from being small, it’s fine. Does the off-center light fixture, shower tile grout that never actually comes clean, and peeling linoleum flooring drive us insane? Of course. But our previous 1905 Eastside home had one small bathroom downstairs and off the kitchen, so an “en suite”, small as it is, felt and still feels very luxurious. I knew that once we saved up, our “someday” remodel would come eventually, so investing any time into this space felt unnecessary. Here are a few more photos before demo really started: The Kids’ On the other side of our bathroom wall is my daughters’ bathroom–equally hideous and luxurious. I say luxurious, again, because I shared a very small bathroom with my parents and brother growing up, so what a treat it is for my daughters to have their own. This space has also not been touched in 4 years. Between bath times when my girls were little, playing nail salon, and doing the mad morning-dash to get off to school, I’ve actually spent a lot more time in this bathroom than my own. The urge to do a few of those small updates in this bathroom came… and then, eventually, dissipated. In the end, the linoleum is still the linoleum, and the off-center lighting will still be off-center. The time and resources for the small updates just didn’t make sense to me. If it’s not super obvious from these photos, these bathrooms are tiny. Because it’s not financially an option to expand the overall footprint, the best we can do is make them more functional and more pretty. In comes Miss Henderson :) AllModern reached out to Emily about a partnership a few months ago, and we all felt like this could be the perfect opportunity to finally do some updating. They have a great selection of bathroom items, from vanities to lighting to plumbing–a bit of a one-stop shop. To be very honest with you, bathrooms stump me, design-wise. Everything feels (and is!) SO permanent. I had a hard time really knowing what I even wanted for our primary bathroom. I pulled images of so many amazing pieces from AllModern’s site, but couldn’t get a cohesive design going that felt like us. But then, late one night during a doom scroll, I saw my friend and incredible prop stylist/designer here in Portland, Karie Higgins, posted a photo of a beautiful bathroom with a BAINA towel in it. This led me to BAINA’s website, where I fell in love with the color scheme of one of their stack of towels, and the rest is history. Once I’d decided on colors I liked, everything else started to fall into place. I found this gorgeous white oak vanity and paired it with this medicine cabinet. I was also pretty sold on both the floors and the shower being blue square tile. I immediately pulled out all the samples I’d gathered when we redid our fireplace and ordered a bunch more. We eventually landed on this pretty light blue tile that Fireclay generously gifted. We’ll be using 2×2 squares on the floor and 4×4 squares in the shower. Here’s the moodboard I sent to Emily a couple of months ago. Honestly, I was just hoping she wouldn’t hate it—because by that point, I was completely sold on the whole thing. Good news: she loved it too. Moving on to the kids’ bath… Making decisions for their bathroom felt a bit easier than for ours. We knew we didn’t want to go too “little girl” in here. My daughters are almost 5 and 8, so it would be pretty easy to get carried away and design for their ages now. We still wanted it to be fun, but hopefully, a bathroom they’ll enjoy when they’re in their teens, as well. We found this pretty vanity and paired it with a big built-in mirror/medicine cabinet. Fireclay was kind enough to gift us tile for both the primary bath and for our girls’ bathroom. We’re going with this gorgeous 2×2 creamy-colored square tile for the floor and will be doing a 4×4 pattern for the bathtub walls in this fun, warm yellow and pale pink. While the tile was ordered with the intention of doing a checkered pattern, we know I love checkered, I am wondering if a stripe would be pretty instead? And, that’s where we stand today! Demo began a few weeks ago, and the crew (thanks, Afore!) is plugging along. Tile should be starting in the next week or so. Excited to share the finished product with you all in the coming weeks :)

Home Decor

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

Well, well, well…I do believe this is the last bathroom of my brother’s river house, and likely the one that gets seen the most by guests. I have an order of favorites, for sure, but this one seems to be the reigning #1 (I’m partial to the primary myself, but perhaps that’s because I’m middle-aged and love an at-home spa experience – I mean, they have a sauna inside the bathroom). This one has a punch and a pattern, and a lot of green (go Ducks!). Green tiled bathrooms for the win. We chose the tile back when Max and I were both working on this project, and that man also loves a big green tile moment. I mean who doesn’t love a good green tiled bathroom. We worked with Ann Sacks, which has extremely good colors and really solid tile. Max felt really strongly about this tile and wanted it staggered as a 4″ square. I wanted it stacked as a rectangle, and somewhere along the line, it ended up staggered as a rectangle. I honestly don’t remember who is responsible for what anymore! But it turned out so great, and it’s pretty beloved in the home. A Big Pivot… I do remember that at one point, Ken and Max chose this big double faucet-ed wall-hung farm sink from Kohler that I objectively love, but as the house came together, it started to feel like it didn’t belong here. Katie felt the same. So with conflicting design visions, we looked for other options. We had to make decisions quickly as the subs were working hard on all the bathrooms at the same time. So we played around with what we had on hand, which was a leftover wall-hung drawer vanity (seen above) that felt oddly big. But that’s when Gretchen has the idea of using our leftover tile to tile a smaller version of that wall-hung vanity. So JP and his crews built a box for an inset sink, with the vision to tile overtop of it, keeping the look of the wall tile and running the same way. We taped it out, making sure that it worked with the plumbing that was already behind the tiled wall, while also ensuring that it was the right scale for this bathroom. It was a risk, and a last-minute one on the bathroom that the most people would see and near the end of a long project… We ordered the faucet from Kohler, and I was so relieved that it turned out pretty darn great. Still unexpected in the house, but now that it’s fully decorated, the pattern of the wallpaper and the colorful tile work so well together. The pendants were bought from Schoolhouse Electric – modern yet traditional and on the affordable side. On Choosing The Wallpaper This bathroom is big for a powder bath and dark (no natural light), and just painting felt a bit dead, so once again I was tasked with finding a wallpaper that was organic and fluid so that it contrasted against the linear brick tile, but not too traditional like most florals. As you know, I’m a massive fan of the Raphael pattern for this exact reason – it has this beautiful movement without it being too busy or bold. The large scale of it works so well with smaller tiles, and the white grout pulled so well with the white background. It also felt very Oregon to me – what with the trees and such. Yes, we see it a lot these days, but I enjoy seeing it every single time. The variation in the tile color is so pretty (with many shaky edges – so make sure you are up for that look). It’s just such a deep, rich green with a lot of high gloss texture. Can’t forget the toilet :) There was enough room for a little side table, which I was on the fence about, but the gap was big, so we added it, and it looked cute. I went to my inventory of art and found that I had two more of these MaryAnn Puls pieces (I had bought and framed a bunch for my team holiday present years ago, and had a couple left over). They felt like a sweet moment in here and brought in that hit of warmth with the wood that was echoed with the stool and the wooden arch sculptures (which I bought on Amazon, last minute, LOL). She’s pretty dang cute and a fun punch for guests upon arrival. Actually, my whole family is coming over tonight to Ken’s for a BBQ to get a full updated tour now that it’s all decorated, which I’m super excited about. Last bathroom done!!! Don’t worry, we still have like 6 more rooms to reveal (I love them all SOOO MUCH), so stay tuned. The river house project is truly never-ending :)

Home Decor

A Quick River House Guest Bathroom Reveal

Welcome to a quick reveal of my brother’s guest bath which is small, cute, blue and right next to that new pink bedroom that we are obsessed with. Max Humphrey and I designed this together – starting almost 3 years ago when I was still in Arrowhead! He has the same tile in his bathroom, which was the jumping-off point and we designed the rest of it it to be simple and contemporary. The Tile We worked with Ann Sacks on the tile and chose their Context line for the walls in this really pretty denim blue color called Spa. The wall tile is 2×12 so you can see we did a vertical row and then a horizontal tile on top, essentially creating a type of stripe. It’s a nice way to lay out tile to have it not be busy but do something interesting (neither a stack nor a stagger, no offense to either of those :)). We wanted to do a sort of color drench in here so we used a darker blue penny tile in a color called Lantern on the floor – a real Max Humphrey move. As you can see there is a lot of color variation to the tile that you can’t really tell on a sample, so when it’s installed it has some dark spots making each piece look more organic (but good to know). The Shower Plumbing We went with the Purist line in the Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass with cross handles. The Purist remains my favorite line of theirs for both modern and transitional, but can absolutely go “modern traditional” as well. And per usual it comes in nine different finishes – all so pretty. Max chose the grout for the tile which was lighter on the walls and a bit darker grey on the floors. We talked about it after the grout was put in, and both of us would’ve done a darker blue grout on the floor, adding more of a contrast with the walls. We used white Caesarstone leftovers for all the trim and niche. We wanted to add some other design elements but didn’t want to make it too busy (and honestly at this point we were on a budget so we didn’t want to add a second tile. I felt that a paint color wouldn’t be impactful enough and didn’t necessarily want to add any wood paneling or anything like that. So once I found this wallpaper from Mitchell Black I loved how it picked up on the warmer tones of the brass and wood, but was still quiet and organic. We also didn’t know how we were going to design the guest room (and this bathroom is inside the guest room so they really needed to coordinate). So whatever we chose we didn’t want to lock us into a specific color palette just yet. This wallpaper is so neutral, soft, and pretty. This bathroom is pretty small, but this vanity has a lot of storage and works really well in here. We switched out the hardware to be black wood (stained, from Etsy) and I love that it looks like freestanding furniture. The sink and counter come with it making it easy for purchasing and install. I LOVE that light fixture, by Worley’s, which you can customize both the metal and the wood. I was greedy and wanted a multi-finish sconce so this black and wood double sconce was perfect here and married all of our finishes. The mirror was a $50 Home Goods purchase, y’all. I know these are a bit trendy and I bought it on a whim, but once I held it up we all agreed it was pretty dang cute and the idea of continuing to shop for something “better” wasn’t necessary. I like the tone of the wood with the wallpaper and the shape of the mirror with the organic “flock of birds” like pattern. For this bathroom we did a deck mount faucet, mostly to switch it up after a lot of wall mounts :) Designing five bathrooms at the same time makes you want a bit of variety. But behind the scenes, we may have wallpapered a dark slightly gold-flecked navy blue paper at first…it was a big “hell no” which was a bummer, but thank god the install of it was also problematic so we were able to re-install the new paper for free. So much better :) The flow between this bathroom and its bedroom is really pretty and while it’s small, it’s highly functional, so pretty, and does the job. Only one more bathroom left :) Stay tuned!

Home Decor

New Wallpaper In The Farmhouse Primary Bathroom Water Closet (And How I Feel About It(!!))

Like the kids’ bath, this bathroom was “done enough” but I always knew that I wanted to add wallpaper to the water closet (i.e. the toilet room). But life had other priorities and I didn’t feel like rushing any more decisions. The room didn’t need it and I have to be careful because I like “stuff” so sometimes it’s better for me to keep the foundations of a house simple so I can style with my fun things without it getting crazy busy or overdesigned. But after two years of living in this bathroom (which I LOVE) I’ve decided that a pattern in this room wouldn’t add much visual clutter (whereas I’ve thought about doing a pattern on the curtains and I think that might be too much and take away from the sereneness of this room). As a reminder, this is what it looks like (when it’s clean) and the floor is really the star – one tone but so much pretty texture and that blue tile is PERFECT. Shout out to Pratt + Larson :) But the water closet was kinda boring, yet fine! It’s just a water closet! But it’s also a missed opportunity. And I figured that the wallpaper installer could do both the kids’ and this room on the same day, so I got motivated all of a sudden. I narrowed it down to this pattern – another tree motif (no one is surprised here – nature motifs have long been my go-to). I love that this pattern has a lot of organic movement without a lot of negative space – i.e. it’s busy but not high contrast since the branches run into each other. I also love the warmth of the “wood” that I knew would work with all our hits of wood and gold in the bathroom. Honestly, I love the blue colorway more, but I was genuinely fearful that I would have too much blue in this bathroom, what with the floors and the shower room being all blue. I was afraid that you’d walk in and it would be overwhelmingly blue. If I’m being honest, I also think I was influenced by people saying “woah, you have a lot of blue in your house” and maybe not wanting to just take my “comfort color” easy route. Which Wallpaper Did I Choose? The green! And when I first walked in I was like, “woah”. As in it felt like a LOT. Now that I’ve gotten used to it, I really like it, but admittedly it is a lot. I think if I could snap my fingers I’d add paneling, our horizontal beadboard up to wainscot height, like in our powder bath, but I’ve got other fish to fry so likely won’t get to that for years if ever. The artwork helps tie in the green with the blue on the floor – I think the undertones are working fine, but maybe not as ideal as they could. All in all, I’m happy, it’s cute/fun, etc, but I didn’t have the same reaction as I have in the kids’ bath (which I think I perfectly nailed the wallpaper color and pattern). When you look at it altogether – with the shower room and pulling the green from the big tree it works together and I’m pleased :) I suppose the narrowness of the room makes it feel a little more overwhelming than I had predicted – like if it were wider and/or we had paneling 40″ up the wall I think it would be better. But I swear I’m not unhappy and have zero inclination to do anything about it, I just think it’s funny how you can be 100% sure about something that once installed is only an 80% love. And that’s ok because it’s just our toilet room (thank goodness).

Home Decor

Another Design Box Checked – The Kids’ Bath Wallpaper Reveal!

Well, well, well. A year and a half after the “reveal”, I finally did the update that this bathroom always wanted – wallpaper, and it looks so good that even my kids noticed and went out of their way to tell me! There is nothing sweeter than your 11-year-old son saying “Mama, I love the wallpaper” before you even have time to point it out. I always knew that this bathroom wanted wallpaper above the tile and trim, but I needed to shoot it and I hadn’t found the right paper. It was still pretty beforehand, but now it’s just so much better. Before Wallpaper Here’s how we shot it in August of 2023, it really remained the same for the most part. The art fell down off the tile (dumb Command strips) but otherwise, it was sweet and worked. So I kept my eye out for the perfect pattern and colorway… Choosing The Right Paper I fell in love with a few of these from Graham & Brown, ordered some samples, and was delighted that there were many that I loved. While the middle blue one looks so powerful on camera (and I think maybe one on stories?), I went with the green colorway on the right that has hits of blue in it just so it felt a little more timeless and less saturated I guess? I think the intense color on top with the green tile might have been too much, whereas the green obviously spoke to the floor, more in harmony. The Reveal I LOVE IT. The “wood” of the branches speaks to the warmer tones in the room (like the vanity and the gold fixtures) and the green and blue work so well with the green tile and blue accents (like the curtains and the vintage dog painting). I love that the green vintage light fixture still pops off it nicely without getting too lost. And while I was open to changing out the curtains (I mean, it was just yardage that I iron hemmed and hung up) I think this looks so fun and cute. The colors are great together and the scale of the large gingham is offset so nicely with the organic movement of the wallpaper pattern. The bathroom just feels so much more finished, like it was always meant to be this way. The only thing/s that I’m still debating are: Do I add crown molding? My typical answer would be yes, but outside the tub niche, it would end up being just a little sliver. But you could skip the molding on that front part (maybe, unsure about that) and just do the perimeter of the room… I also might add cafe curtains IF I find the right pattern, but I’m not terribly motivated to persist on that one. Like sure, it could look cute but there is a lot happening already – we may have hit our whimsy quota. It’s another box checked and only 3 years after we moved in which I don’t think is THAT bad. I actually am loving adding these layers in a slower (and less stressful way). It’s just so happy and feels appropriate to the house (Scandinavian farmhouse vibes FTW). The organic nature of it contrasts well with the tile, too. With the green floor/wall tile border looking like grass and the wallpaper clearly being a forest, we have a fully executed theme in here :) What do you think??

Home Decor

Here’s What Your Bathrooms Will Look Like In 2025 & Beyond (At Least If These Stunning Trends Are Any Indication)

It’s funny writing a trend post every year on a room like the bathroom. This is, of course, a space that wears some fairly permanent and expensive decisions. In fact, it’s common for true “trends” in kitchens and bathrooms to run the length of about a decade (or more). And surely, there are some design decisions that look good for a lifetime. But you wouldn’t be here reading about home aesthetics if you weren’t an enthusiast of sorts, wondering what’s next. So while I kind of cringe at the idea of trends for the sake of newness, I do also know there is a time and place for fresh ideas. If you’re embarking on a home reno or new home journey, you’ll likely need some concepts to chew on, whether you’re after just a few special details to add to your traditional design plan, or are looking to create something completely drama-filled. And just like Jess said in her trend observations for kitchens in the coming year(s), I also don’t take these kinds of posts lightly. We research for weeks and often months (heck, sometimes the whole year) to see what other designers and firms have dared to do. What might stick? What could be fun to dream about? What feels like an entirely new idea? What feels like a classic detail done in a crisp way? So, without further ado, here are the seven design “trends” I’ve taken notice of that I think have some serious legs. Moody Boutique Hotel The whole moody vibes thing really started to take hold maybe five-ish years ago, and with the color-drenching trend that exploded in the last year, it just makes sense this would make its way into the bathroom. It’s kind of always been a thing for powder baths where people are more comfortable taking risks, but this boutique hotel slash members-club aesthetic is primed to also make its way into primary baths. First up is this absolutely gorgeous space by Life of Plenty Home. I especially love how subtle the contrast is between the dark lime-washed (or possibly Roman clay) walls and the more cream-leaning marble-fluted sink basin and rattan mirror. This keeps the design super interesting and layered without coming off overly glam. Here’s the treatment in a full bath, by our friend A1000xbetter. This one is a bit more retro in vibe, between the terrazzo floor and the wood paneling, but the feeling is the same. It feels like the kind of room you can enter at 2 am when your bladder can’t make it to the morning, and your eyes won’t be smited by brightness. I’m screaming this is so good. Forgive me for being graphic, but it’s kind of like the inside of a uterus in the absolute best way (girl power!). All jokes aside, it takes a very daring person to let their designer (Crystal Sinclair Designs in this case) implement something like this and I applaud this homeowner. And while that custom red marble sink is likely the cost of a hospital bill after giving birth, you can get a similar—if not so bold—look by opting for a deep burgundy wall or tile color, adding some thin picture frame molding, and going with an antiqued mirror finish on multiple surfaces. A bit less glam is this powder back by Laura Brophy, achieved with a rough, possibly vintage or antique stone basin. Contemporary touches like the streamlined wall-mounted faucet, sconces, and the thin-framed mirror keep this space feeling forward-thinking rather than overly rustic. Natural Spa Vibes On the complete flip side of “moody boutique hotel” is the warm, natural spa aesthetic. While your mind might go to something very clean and white, this trend is far more rooted in earth tones and materials. Marble is replaced with wood, limestone, and slate. Surfaces are cohesive—meaning the same finish is seen across ceilings, walls, even vanities. It’s calm, luxe, and rich-looking while also down to earth. While I was only really able to get two images approved for use, don’t let that make you think this isn’t having its moment. Because it is, and big time. In the last decade, we’ve seen a lot of colorful bathrooms, eclectic and glam spaces, charming English cottage looks, but I think this is where modern design is heading. More “quiet luxury” than in your face (but expected) spa. I especially love how Yond Interiors mixed the nearly velveting mushroom finish of the walls, ceilings, and pony wall (that houses the vanity) with a thick grouted slate and a stunning wood surround for the tub. I’m not sure how a wood like that would hold up to water over time, but I have to imagine that was thought through. (Also, you heard it here first: Slate and terra cotta floors are having a comeback…) Here’s a fairly different look, from Studio Utkan Gunerkan but the serenity they both serve is unmistakable. I think this is accomplished by picking just a few materials and using them all over. Here, the concrete-like material on the walls, floor, ceiling, and vanity is balanced by a pinkish clay-hued tile in the walk-in shower. That’s it. It’s simple but powerful. Raw Edge Vanity This is more of a detail than a full-room design move, and also kind of an offshoot of the warm natural spa look from above. I’ve been seeing so much of this lately, executed both in stone and in wood. Raw edges are particularly interesting when juxtaposed with the cold and pristine nature of a stone like marble. I originally pulled this image to illustrate the previous trend, but then I couldn’t stop finding bathrooms with wood or stone with raw edges, like this one by Anke Design Studio. And while I’m sure this detail isn’t for everyone, it lends a one-of-a-kindness that doesn’t feel like it can be replicated. It’s uniquely yours and celebrates the beauty of stone. If you told me to close my eyes and picture a bathroom with rough-hewn and scraped wood on every surface besides the sink vanity, which was a boulder-like chiseled stone, I’d struggle to come up with something this refined in my brain. But Alessandro Isola somehow managed it expertly. This feels like a 5-star resort, as many of Isola’s spaces do, which typically feature raw-edged rock and stone elements where most tend to lean in linear, clean-cut marble and wood. A bit less grand but no less beautiful. I love this bathroom by Susannah Holmberg Studios because it feels both incredibly special but somehow attainable. The live edge counter that flanks the plinth stone basin really grounds the room. White Plumbing Fixtures Gold and brass has had a chokehold on metal finishes for well over a decade at this point, and we’ve toyed with wondering what’s next. Chrome maybe? Polished nickel? Bronze? All of those are great options, but strangely white fixture finishes are kind of having a (niche) moment. Now, I don’t see this replacing brass in any way, but it’s a good contender if you’re after something new and modern. A white faucet really plays to the youthfulness of this bathroom (this is actually a design in collaboration with Domino for surface company Concrete Collaborative). It doesn’t cut through or juxtapose anything about the checkered tile or the bobbin-esque mirror, but rather complements it perfectly. Here, by Lizzie Green of Popix Designs, the white faucet is more of a contemporary foil to the earthenware thin stacked tile on the wall. A brass fixture would have been beautiful, but this is unexpected, cheerful, and feels like an eternal spring. And while I know this isn’t a faucet, I couldn’t skip over including the white finish on the metal doors of this shower (the space was designed by Handelsmann + Khaw). It’s such a cool look that we don’t see often. Interesting Trimwork We’ve been seeing picture frame molding everywhere, but it’s taken its time to make it into the bathroom in the same way it’s applied in living spaces. In addition to that, there’s also so much fun being had with subtle tile and marble trim work. Think contrasting colors, stripes, and barely-there stone. It’s really the kind of thing that can take a fairly subtle room and take it to the next level. You don’t often see so much molding in a bathroom, but I love it! Now, keep in mind that in a powder bath like this one by Carlos Garcia Interiors, there isn’t much to be concerned with in terms of moisture, but in a bathing space, you may want to consider a PVC molding to avoid any warping or deterioration over time of the wood. The image I’m referencing here is on the second slide (in case it doesn’t default to that for you). This is a bathroom in Le Grand Mazarin Hotel, which was designed by Martin Brudnizki. As if the peachy tile with a subtle darker peach stripe every four rows wasn’t punchy enough, they added a black and white vertical stripe prior to the bullnosing. I think almost every room can stand to have some black sprinkled in, and this is a highly effective and quirky way to do it that’ll draw the eye and make you smile every morning and night. Heidi Caillier Design knows just how to take a fairly serious (and seriously beautiful) room and add that je ne sais quoi to make it feel new. In this instance, it’s the thick, lacquered green trim at the baseboard and around the opening to the bathtub nook. Another one by A1000xbetter, I almost missed the delicate marble trim along the top line of the tile and around the threshold of the shower stall. I can’t stop looking at it and it’s such a surprising, simple detail in a room with so much else to look at. Brown, Black & Dark Gray Natural Stone Move over white marble because darker pigment natural stone is here to take its seat on the throne (and no, I don’t mean the toilet…or do I?). There’s such a gravitas to opting for an Emperador Marble or Nero Marquina marble over the more commonly used Carrara or Calacatta, and also feeds into the moody boutique hotel look I shared earlier. My jaw is on the floor here, and if ever I would allow my mouth to touch the ground, it would be on this gorgeous creamy and dreamy stone floor in a space by Montana Labelle. And look, I know that marble tub is something few could fathom for themselves, it’s great inspiration for the power of dark stone. Hard to go back to white stone after laying eyes (and jaw) on this. I’m fairly certain this stone is actually a red marble, but when I first earmarked it, I thought it was dark brown, so I’m letting it slide anyway. Isn’t this just so gorgeous? Thank you Style House LA for this marvel. For those not inclined to go so potent, darker gray marbles might just be for you. It’s stormy, modern, and plays nice with both warm and cool tones on other surfaces. I especially like it against a grey-washed wood like the one in this bathroom by Lark+Palm. Color Drenching Surprise, surprise…said no one. We can’t get away from color-drenching (I mean, I’m not ready to anyway), so it’s no wonder it’s sneaked into the bathroom. I love this one because it’s a fairly simple way to make a huge impact with some pretty affordable materials. Of course, like anything else, it can also read luxurious, modern and personality-filled, all depending on what you pick to get the point across. Another Human‘s Leah Ring is no stranger to creating spaces that make you smile while simultaneously leaving you thinking “wait, why didn’t I come up with that?” In white, the classic square tile and floating flat-fronted vanity would feel sterile, nearly clinical, but in sage and mint green, it’s just so dang pleasant. Color drenching doesn’t always have to feel contemporary, either. Erdem Hamza went monotone (with white for contrast) but in a way that is organic, worldly, and chic. Don’t be afraid to look at sinks and fixtures in colors other than white, and then match it to your wall paint and tile selections. Talk about happy! This is what I call color-drench-light. Meaning, yellow isn’t on every single surface, but it’s on just enough to get the point across. Tamsin Johnson varied a buttery yellow on the cabinets and mirrors and a darker ochre on the tile. Even the antiqued brass faucets seem to play into the color scheme. And finally, a mauve moment by Decus Interiors. This is similar to Leah Ring’s green bathroom in that it’s a straight-forward square tile with a painted flat-front floating vanity, but it feels very different with the swirling stone that picks up on those purple hues, and the linear color-matched cabinet handles. It’s hushed but speaks volumes. — There you have it. Overall, there’s definitely a trend toward deeper, more personality-filled bathrooms, replacing the cold, white spaces that were the norm for decades. I hope these rooms inspire you, even if they wouldn’t be something you’d choose for yourself. Heck, may they push you to think outside the box for any room in your home, not just your bathrooms. But well, especially your bathrooms if you have the inclination to work on yours. Until next time friends…

Home Decor

The River House Primary Bathroom Reveal (Including A Sauna!! And Mirrors In Front Of The Window)

Today we have quite the luxury bathroom for you – including a hers and his shared shower, a view of the river, a heated toilet, and a sauna inside the bathroom (I’m truly jealous). It’s another River House bathroom, my favorite one that is so warm and airy – and the white tile in here might be my favorite I’ve ever used. The bathroom itself is more long and narrow – the shower faces east and the windows over the vanity are south. The footprint of this wing was dictated by how the house was designed by Anne Usher (the architect) and built by JP Macy of Sierra Custom Construction. It’s not huge so it had to be really thoughtful in how it was going to be maximized. They actually added the sauna near the end which I think they stole by flipping the toilet room and getting rid of that small storage cabinet between the old toilet room and the vanity area. Here you can see how it connects to the primary bedroom. There is a pocket door to ensure that if one person needs to get up early to get ready or needs privacy they can just close it. The view from the bedroom (reveal here!) into the bathroom is just so pretty. Those mirrors hanging in front of the window might be my favorite thing (albeit controversial). Here’s a little video before we get into the pretty photos! (just wait for the ad to play:)) She is such a sophisticated bathroom – wood, green, brass, and so much natural light that you would never need to turn on the overhead lights (except during the 5 months of darkness that we are about to enter, LOL). The vanity is a long floating custom vanity designed by Max and Anne (and maybe me, I honestly don’t remember at this point). Mirrors In Front Of The Windows? Anne was the one driving the mirror in front of the window situation which I was fully on board with because it’s weird and cool (and I’ll do anything for natural light + quirk). Anne had an interesting philosophy that basically says we should prioritize seeing nature over seeing our faces all day. Obviously, you need a mirror when you are getting ready but I love the idea of not being confronted with my own face when I’m just getting up or even brushing my teeth and instead looking at the trees. Now of course we ended up putting mirrors above the vanity in front of the windows anyway, and here is why… We originally wanted to hang the mirrors from the side or ceiling on a pivot that could be stored out of the way, but the ceilings are vaulted and angled and the sconces needed to be hung as flush mounts up there. Also, the sides weren’t symmetrical which felt odd to us. We worked with a welder and tried to figure out how to hang from the top of the wood or the side, but he basically told us that it would be floppy and never solid (which seemed like a bad choice). So we designed them to be attached inside the wood frame and used the Kohler mirrors (which were perfect in size and shape) with a custom welded back. The vanity has three drawers – two with cutouts for the sink plumbing then a huge drawer in the middle. The faucets are part of the Components Collection from Kohler that comes in all the different finishes and a few different shapes. The line is called “components” because you can choose separate handles and spouts – essentially customize the exact look you are going for. We used the gooseneck faucet for the guest bath so opted for the Row spout, a squared-off version, up here. These light fixtures are new and so awesome. They are so heavy and high quality, with a really pretty gold patina, and they give off excellent light. You can obviously use them vertically flanking a vanity mirror as well. To the right of the bathroom is the tub/shower wet room and it’s so flooded with light, bouncing off all the textures in the tile and the faucets – it’s extremely dreamy to be in there. Because we were working with Kohler on this we were able to go all out in the plumbing department – a rain shower, two showerheads for joint showering, and a hand shower. Their new Statement and Anthem line is so beautiful and with a lot of flexibility and customization – with options for mechanical valves that don’t require electrical in addition to plumbing (so an easier install) or digital. We chose the Ceric tub because it was the narrowest and has such a sculptural and classic shape. The water temp is automatically set and you simply just push on and off and it reaches that temperature. The look of it is so design-forward, but the function is really simple. The tub is big enough for two people but doesn’t have a huge footprint so fitting into this shower was just fine (which was something we worried about and went through all the exercises like bringing a cardboard template to make sure it fit). The knob controls the temperature and the buttons turn it on and off (and control the hand shower). It’s just so streamlined and squared off with these modern round knobs – so graphic and simple. Each person gets to control their own temperature, all pre-set by them, and they can change the water pressure and stream with a few different options (there is a really fun spray that is so soft that we love). This tile is one of my favorites I’ve ever used – such a pretty texture with white and vertical organic stripes. We stacked them horizontally and the vibe is so rich and textured, and yet still calm. Ann Sacks has a lot of stone tile as well, and we chose the large format 12×24 for the vanity floor and then switched to a small herringbone of the same tile for the shower room (smaller tile always works to slope better towards the drain). It’s all so gorgeous. The stone has a lot of warmth and green in it, calling back to the trees outside all the windows. I can’t stop staring at it. Anne (the architect) designed this storage cabinet with three shelves and a door for extra storage. The Kohler hooks are black to help pull in the black sliding door frame and all the black light switches (we also chose a black hand towel bar). The Sauna Now, TBH I had very little to do design-wise with this sauna, beyond my extreme support and enthusiasm. The best part is that it’s both infrared AND a traditional dry sauna. I’m so jealous. Essentially the infrared goes deeper and some say is better for your skin, but they don’t heat up to be as hot as fast (and you have to stay in much longer to get the benefits) whereas a traditional dry sauna can get really hot and you only need 20 minutes to drip with sweat and get the mood-boosting benefits. The black panels are the infrared heat and then below you’ll see the dry system with all the rocks. My brother worked with a local sauna builder (that is a design/build firm) and Ken was super happy with their service and work. The sauna is big enough to fit both of them sitting up or one lounging. They have been using it 5 nights a week, watching Friday Night Lights through the glass on an iPad. Again, very jealous. The Toilet Room/Watercloset Yes, there is a toilet in its own little room with a pocket door and a beautiful deep color. It’s a smart toilet with a heated seat, bidet, and a lot of bells and whistles (controlled by a remote that is attached to the wall). Yes, you need to plan for a plug (and I’d suggest all toilet rooms get an outlet just in case a future owner is as obsessed with having a bidet as the general bidet enthusiasts club population seems to be. LOL). They LOVE it. And I love how streamlined the toilet is, thus making it easy to clean:) Jess thought it would be fun to show you the difference between the bathroom before and after styling – it’s so simple and calm so the styling really added a lot. Human for scale:) I love my bathroom, I do, but when you are in this bathroom, showering with a view of the river, surrounded by trees it’s pretty darn glorious. A huge thanks to Kohler for partnering with us on this bathroom – we are so thankful to work with our favorite brands to create beautiful rooms (and photos for the blog).

Home Decor

My Brother’s Playful Shared Kids Bathroom Reveal (Including Cute Double Vanities)

While this house has a lot of contemporary lines (with hits of traditional vibes throughout), it’s still a house for a family with two elementary school-aged kids (6 and 9). They share a hall bathroom that is a nice size and Max and I were able to design it to be happy and playful, and yet use high-quality material that will last (and obviously grow with them). I honestly never pictured this bathroom like this – it’s really sweet and charming and full of layers that are far from “contemporary”. Some of this is in the styling, for sure, but whatever it is I love looking at these photos and every time I walk in I get that surge of, “Oh this is so fun”. Where Are We In The House? Ok, we are on the second floor and you can see the kid’s rooms are nearby. The bathroom is pretty big – although I see that the floor plan has changed since this above version to NOT have a separation between the vanity area and the toilet/bath. It’s part of the house that was designed to be vaulted so it has high ceilings. When they did the window plan they chose a huge window in here – so it has a lot of natural light. Three Different Tiles Max Humphrey and I chose the tile (we co-designed many of the bathrooms together), but this tile is more him, I’d say (and I love it). That guy is a master at selecting and mixing tiles. He generally takes more risks than me but still stays within a restrained palette which you all know I love. We worked within Ann Sacks Made line (made in Portland, which we are big fans of) which has a huge variety of colors. What I love so much about it is the variation of the color at the edges in both the penny tile on the floor and the shower tile – it gives it a lot of dimension and texture (the outline isn’t the grout, it’s the tile). I should back up and say that my brother and SIL didn’t want a tub in here – their kids take showers so they didn’t see the point of a tub (and thought it would be hard to get in and out of). But as an avid bather, I pushed back hard saying how bad for resale it would be not to have a tub for kids. So they chose the most shallow tub (one that would be easy for the kids to get in and out of as a compromise. At times I feared that it would look too basic and not special enough, but as we built the rest of the design elements now I hardly notice that it’s just an alcove tub. The shower surround that we customized (with much agony, more on that later) really helps it feel more elevated. Also a huge shout out to Anne Usher, the architect who planned the skylight in here – the light that it brings into the shower is incredible and makes this area of the room come alive. We used a leftover Caesarstone slab for the niche (making it as big as possible to be in scale with the shower wall). The tray and little pot are from a local resin maker, Swift and Stone who I found at a market and immediately reached out to for this bathroom (you can see her work on the vanities as well). Mixing Tiles We mixed three different scales – the larger blue vanity wall, the medium shower tile and the small penny on the floor. The tones of them all looked really cohesive together and it feels highly customized and yet really cohesive. Purist Faucet Line FTW Always and forever I love the Purist line from Kohler. Of course, you have a variety of finishes (we chose vibrant brushed moderne brass) and different handle profiles (we chose the cross for this bathroom). It’s just simple, modern, streamlined, and timeless. We have this line all over the mountain house. It feels more contemporary there and here it leans more transitional – it’s really easy to mix in most styles, IMHO. The toilet is tucked on the other side of the vanities. We hung embroidery art from the OG Portland project by local artist Annie Odorisio and then styled the opposite wall with robe/towel hooks and a cute wicker hamper to warm it all up. You’ll see in here a circle motif everywhere, which I think really helped it feel more playful and fun for kids. Alright – a his and hers vanity that I seriously wish we had for our kids (who share and quibble and it’s a thing). These are two Tresham vanities that have a simple (and even shaker) vibe to them and then we made them more modern with the wood handles (from Etsy). If you are wondering why they are so close, we did too. In the plans, they were 18″ apart but the room just didn’t allow it so somewhere something was off. At first, I was like “uhhhh…” and then we just worked with it and now I barely notice that they are so close and I even think it’s really sweet. They both have their own storage and counters. With the more traditional tilework and vanities, I wanted to finish the room in a way that went more modern and contemporary like the rest of the house. So once I found these sconces from Worley’s I showed them to my SIL and we both were like, “these are them.” I love that they are graphic, with these playful round glass shades (which also provide great soft light), and you can choose from a variety of metals and wood tones (we chose brushed brass to match the faucets and cornsilk oak for the wood). The three of them flanking the pill shaped mirrors. I like how they call back to the penny tile, the shower faucet shape, the rug, and even the bench. The backsplash tile goes from floor to ceiling (although it originally didn’t – it stopped at 7′ which felt weird so we had to order more tile and cross our fingers the color would match perfectly). The pattern and color make this room come alive – it’s a pattern mixed with three different tiles, stacked in a repeat (this is a Max Humphrey move that I am into). The Tresham vanities also come with an integrated countertop and sink, making it a really easy one-and-done situation. I have this vanity in our mountain house guest room and love the joinery of the base. It comes in a couple of different sizes (I wish it came in 60″ or 72″ TBH – I think it’s awesome.) If you are opening up the walls and changing plumbing (or in this case, building a new house basically) definitely think about wall mount faucets. They really do free up space and I think give a more custom look (we didn’t do this in every bathroom – I like to mix it up). The room is pretty wide in a great way and we were able to add something opposite the vanities. The pocket door was custom (and white oak) and I hung a piece of art that I’ve had forever that worked perfectly in here. I continued with the circle/scallop motif with the rug (from Etsy), wicker pot (from The Container Store, can also be a cute trash can) and bench (from AllModern). We bought a lot of these resin (not pottery, which is nice for kids) bathroom accessories from Swift and Stone which she makes in a variety of colors and sells both locally and on Etsy. Top Down Bottom Up Window Treatments Opposite the vanity is this large window with black frames and while I’m so grateful for the natural light, these kids needed some privacy. So we had Decorview make the same shades that we have in our guest room that I love. They are modern Roman shades that as you can see can be used from the top down or bottom up (therefore letting nice light in through the top). It turned out to be far more of a mix of modern/traditional than I had predicted 3+ years ago, in such a good way. It’s really spacious, airy and bright with playful elements, but executed so well by a great team.

Home Decor

My Brother’s River House Guest Bath Reveal (+ Are Pony Walls Back?)

Another reveal of the rooms that are done in my brother’s house – this one being a really quiet, neutral bathroom that makes me want creamy beige everywhere and dare I say a pony wall (shout out to Max). This bathroom has a small footprint, off the mudroom near the family room, and will be used for guests and dirty kids from the river (probably not that frequently). It turned out really pretty, quiet, clean, and simple with high-quality materials and a timeless contemporary style (with a touch of PNW whimsy). As a reminder, here we are: The shaded pink area is where we are located in the house (right next to the also finished mudroom:)), and the layout of the bathroom is relatively classic and simple – small vanity, toilet, and shower. The layout was done by Anne Usher (then I came in, with Max Humphrey, to choose the finishes). Bathrooms are so hard to shoot (because they are small) but here you can see the whole space – the mix of tiles, the layout with this rather adorable pony wall, and simplicity in shapes and colors with a really nice contrast. As a lover of tile (and I LOVE these creamy tiles) we wanted to see them more instead of more glass, so we added this pony wall with the glass panel above it to help create a sense of a shower “room” and have more visual interest. I pitched this house to Kohler and Ann Sacks early on (3+ years ago), knowing that inventories run deep, quality is high, and we’d be able to make every bathroom feel custom and yet cohesive. So this bathroom is in partnership with Kohler so almost everything is from their many lines of plumbing, vanities, mirrors, and now lighting! And thank god their plumbing designs are so timeless because things change a lot in 3 internet years, but our choices still look really fresh and perfect for the house. The Plumbing We went with the Purist Faucet line and the Components handles. I love how clean and simple they are (but they look cool). We put the main handles to be reachable from outside the pony wall, further away from the shower so you don’t have to get drenched before you get in. For the tile, we chose the MADE Provencal for the walls in two different shapes, staggered them, and paired them with a really warm black hex on the floor. For a contemporary house (read: new build) we wanted to stay within the simple parameters of the home, but keep it warm, timeless, and use high-quality materials that wouldn’t date. But we didn’t want boring. So finding that balance between interest but not trendy felt really good in here. If you are a grout nerd (which I am – my GOODNESS it changes the look of a tile and room) we chose Dove Gray for the floor, lighter than the tile but not too bright, and Oyster Gray for the walls. The wall grout added depth and brought out the pattern, without making it too busy and we triple obsessed about the tones of the grout to make sure they had the right level of warmth without being too “brown”. The Vanity For the vanity side, we chose the 36″ Winnow Vanity which is a super transitional style (i.e. can be classic or contemporary). It comes with the stone countertop which makes life so easy (one order and done) and for a guest bath I like to break up the bulkiness and have a shelf at the bottom). This color is mostly black but has a slight blue hue as you can see in the photos. The mirror is a simple pill-shaped called “The Essential Mirror”, which they sell in so many different styles and finishes and works so well with all the shapes in here – it contrasts the squareness of the vanity and calls back to the shape and finish of the faucet. The sconces are part of Kohler’s newer line called “Jabot” and have a really creamy, oyster-like color which we really liked with the tile and wallpaper. We flanked the mirror with two double sconces (they have single sconces, too) and a semi-flush light fixture that matches. The faucet is part of the Components line which I LOVE – there are a lot of different faucet and handle styles to choose from, again making it easy to customize in a way that you know will look good together. These knobs are easy to twist on and off, hot and cold (obviously), and look so unfussy and simple. The Natural Light And A Window Around 3 pm the light in here gets so dreamy that we had to capture it. There is a window in the shower that floods the room with reflection and brings out all the gloss and texture in the tile. It’s soooo beautiful. The Tile Pattern Max Humphrey and I played around with the tile pattern, wanting it to feel staggered and yet random and the tile installer totally got it. I was nervous about some of the lines being too close or not looking random enough but they did a great job. The Wallpaper Once again I chose a wallpaper that in person is so perfect, warm and fun to look at but it’s so hard to see in photos. It is QUIET. It’s a Nordic treescape in all of our neutral colors. It brought so much to the room, without adding any busyness or style contrast. We did end up adding wallpaper to now 5 of the spaces in this home and almost all of them have this nature element that brings together the contemporary vibe of the house with the sense of a young fun family. There she is:) It’s a bathroom that people see the most right now and it’s undeniably lovely to be in. The light, airy quality mixed with the high contrast faucets and tile creates a neutral yet interesting bathroom that is totally timeless. The resources are below. A huge thanks to Anne Usher, Sierra Custom Construction, and Max Humphrey for all the work on this project.

Home Decor

Fix It Friday: It’s Time To Refresh Some Real-Life Bathrooms For Peak Enjoyment (NO RENO ALLOWED)

The other month my dear friend asked if I could help her with her vanity/bathroom area. It wasn’t bad but it was feeling a little lifeless. She lives in a rental so obviously there was only so much we could do and the budget also had a limit:) And let me tell you, it never ceases to amaze me what some elbow grease, a fresh coat of paint, and a few new decor pieces can do to a room. She’s so happy now! So when I was thinking about the next “Fix it Friday” prompt I was already in the bathroom refresh mindset. And truly the bathroom is a place I don’t think we realize how much time we spend in. It makes a WORLD of difference if you feel at ease and maybe even a little pampered by your surroundings. But just to be clear, this post is all about working with what you have in terms of hard materials. No one is going to be asked to retile! So before I help out some real-life readers with their “in need” bathrooms, I have a few pretty incredible examples from other designers who refreshed instead of remodeled… First up is our very own EHD alum, Sara Ligorria Tramp, and the refresh she gave to her parents’ bathroom. As you can see all of the tile, fixtures, and vanity didn’t get touched. But a lighter green paint color, new sconces, a new shower curtain, and some general decluttering made this bathroom look BRAND NEW!! How happy yet peaceful does this space feel now? Then designer/homeowner, Alison Pierce, decided to embrace her amazing colorful vintage tiles and lean in hard! It may seem counterintuitive to go bolder in an already bold space, but matching the color intensity of these tiles lowered the contrast making the overall design easier on the eyes. Look, both of these beautiful bathrooms definitely still pack a visual punch but in the best and most balanced way. But sadly not all of us have amazing vintage tile to play off of so here are some general NO DEMO things you can do to make your bathroom feel a bit better/updated and more cohesive: DECLUTTER/get rid of what you don’t use (if you just do this I promise you’ll feel better) Consider some closed storage to quiet the visual chaos Paint or wallpaper the walls Paint or restain your cabinets Change out hardware (pulls, knobs, towel rings, towel bars, hooks, etc) Hang shelves Get a new rug Get new towels Change the lighting Switch out your vanity mirror (if possible) Get a new faucet (but maybe have a pro install that one:)) Hang some art (yes, your bathroom deserves pretty stuff too!) Good smells are important so get a candle or diffuser you love As I said, these are just some ideas! Julie (above!) and Mallory also designed incredible rental bathrooms if you want to get even more inspired. So while you don’t need to do a lot to make a big difference, here are some readers submitted bathrooms, in need of some love, that I am going to try to give helpful advice to. Let’s go! An Early ’00s Neutral Upgrade Let’s start on the easier side, shall we? There is a near-perfect bathroom under some of these slightly outdated design elements. But also it’s pretty beautiful as is. Regardless, this reader wants a refresh so that is what she’s going to get. Here’s what she asked for: “I saw the post about a bathroom refresh! Would love to update this and make it more my style, but don’t know where to start! I feel like it needs a paint refresh (cabinets and walls), lighting change +/- mirrors, and maybe wallpaper?” Not a problem! Now I think if she just swapped the mirrors and lights for something a little less…ornate and gave the walls a happier creamy white color, she could call it a day! But obviously, I wanted to give her “a few more” suggestions because this is what I love to do:) Some new hardware and towel ring (in the same metal finish) would also really change the feel. Swapping in a bigger tray on the vanity will look more intentional. Her other vanity decor pieces are cute so those can stay! And while I totally get having your more colorful things on a vanity like hairbrushes and toothpaste bottles, if those can easily be tucked away in a top drawer that will help to keep the color palette more consistent and calmer to the eye. But look, NO judgment! Not everything needs to be “aesthetic” 24/7 because life comes first. However, this is a design blog so it’s just a little suggestion. Man, that tub looks amazing! However, this area could use just a little design love. Let’s first get some art (one large piece or a little gallery) or floating shelves on that empty wall. Then let’s give some new styling life to the ledge. I really love the pieces I found and can’t wait for you all to see. And while new towels aren’t necessary, with the color palette I chose below, I think something a little softer in tone would look pretty nice. The tub tray and cute laundry baskets stay! Here it is! As always, any wall color I choose is a general suggestion. Always test out paint colors in the space to see how they actually look in person. But I do think a creamy white (one that contrasts enough with the white on the cabinets) would look so pretty. Sometimes those taupey greys can weigh down a room when it’s on the walls. I also decided to go with a paint color instead of wallpaper because the floors already have so much pattern with the darker marbling that I think a wallpaper might compete too much. Then I chose a simple but classic vanity mirror option (under $150 each!) that will immediately make the space look and feel more elevated. The lights on the other hand are more expensive but the opal glass shades are STUNNING and are pieces you keep forever even if you move. I decided to go with a matte black finish instead of brass because A. I didn’t know if the different brass finishes (mirror and light fixture) would work together and B. peppering black around the space will make it look a little more grounded and balanced. And because I chose black for the lights, I decided the towel ring, towel bar, and cabinet hardware should also be matte black. Speaking of hardware, I just love these knurled pulls and knobs! Modern, elegant, and fun. Then to finish off the vanity side of the bathroom, I LOVE that wooden tray from H&M which seems a bit bigger than the one that’s there and also keeps a dark tone to the countertop to balance out all the matte black. I am a big ole fan of a long runner in front of a double sink. This one from CB2 is vintage-inspired, the colors are beautiful and forgiving, and the fringe gives it a little extra personality. Onto the tub side, I chose this big art piece from Target that works so perfectly with the other colors in the space. Then on the ledge, I do think a vase with a bit more of an interesting shape with a big branch or two would be sooooo pretty! I love this vase/jug so much because the texture is so good and those curves are to die for. Plus it’s 14″ tall so its got some good height on it. Then I think if some of those products in the tray they have could be decanted into canisters like these it would be a real chef’s kiss. I think choosing glass for those nice contrasts with the terra cotta of the vase. Oh, and a candle is a MUST and why not have it also be a beautiful piece of art? I have this candle and love it! 10/10. And finally, since we’re here, I think a lighter bath mat (this light taupe tone is kinda perfect) would look so pretty and those light green waffle towels that Emily AND Arlyn have are a nicer color with the overall design…plus the texture is beautiful too:) Giving Power To The Powder Bath We always think having a little “fun” with your powder bathroom design is the way to go and this reader already had their eyes set on dark blue but was second-guessing her ideas… “My home’s powder bathroom urgently needs design attention, and I would love your help! The sticking point for me is how to bring color into a small room with no natural light. I tested Benjamin Moore’s Van Deusen Blue on the walls. I love the color, but I grew concerned that it was too dark for a space without a window. The style of the house is NW modern. Our budget is about 2 thousand dollars for a new mirror, light fixture, hardware, small storage solution, and decor. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for your consideration!” Actually going dark in an already dark space is something we almost always recommend so it’s a big YES to the dark blue walls. Wanna see what else I’m thinking. Aside from the paint, mirror, light, and some hardware there’s not much else they need. Just a few more decor pieces and maybe a new faucet if they felt like switching things up. I definitely leaned into the modern PWN style they said they have so here we go! Modern PNW to me translates often to darker tones and midcentury modern design. And since Schoolhouse is a PNW company (Portland) I went there first and found the prettiest light fixture (amongst other things)! I love it so much but since I don’t have the bathroom measurements I’m hoping that this light/mirror combo works together. I think a little overlap would be so sick. Oh and how good is that Target mirror? Only $70! And staying with the vanity, if they want I do love the idea of mixing metals and bringing in a little brass faucet. Then I went with matte black for the towel ring and toilet paper holder (which are only $16 each, WILD) to blend into the blue walls a bit. But of course, I wanted to bring in a little color and texture so that waffle hand towel adds such a fun but cool pop, and how amazing is that bath mat?! I love that it’s a brighter blue than the walls and has a pattern, adding some dimension and a tonal vibe. And is it even a PNW room if something isn’t dark green? That little trash can is so cute and has the prettiest tone. Ok, back to the walls. Let’s start over the toilet with the piece of art by Jordan Sullivan. I love his work so much and this photograph brings in so much movement and a beautiful, happy, contrasting color. It livens the whole design up. It’s not cheap but it’s a limited-run print and so special. The reader also asked for some storage and I found this awesome wall cabinet from ferm Living. It’s simple but detailed and very slim so I think it will work perfectly hung on the wall across from the toilet. And finally, I couldn’t not have something to put on top of the cabinet. That’s what the candle, matches, and book are for. The candle can sit on top of the book to one side and the match cloche can sit on the cabinet next to the book. I think that will look very cute but have fun and play around! P.S. We are over $100 under budget:) The Grain Is REAL When I first saw this bathroom I thought two things, 1. “Wow, that’s a LOT of grain” and 2. I really like those mouldings.” And if you know me then you know I love wood but this wood would require something special. Here’s what the reader sent in: “Hello!! We are trying to update our early 2000s built home. This is our master bedroom. I like a clean, classic look. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!” Ok! Sweet and simple and something I think I can handle:) The first order of business is the wood grain. I do love some grain, but given the intensity and the amount in this one space, I think that if the reader is up for it they should consider stripping and restaining all of this wood a really dark tone, masking a lot of the grain. That way they don’t have to cover that beautiful wood with paint and it saves them lots of money by not replacing them. I definitely don’t want to downplay the hours that this would take and that it would potentially drive them to curse my name every day until the end of time. BUT after they are done they will have stunning cabinets. Worth it?? Then if they were up for spending some money, honing those countertops would make them look nicer and more expensive. Not let’s talk walls. I think they should go for a white like Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams – bright with a hint of warmth so the room doesn’t feel too stark. Then those lights really need to be updated and that ceiling fan also could really use a modern makeover. The countertop could use some cute styling but I do love the plants in the shower! Oh, but all of the switchplate covers and hooks need to be updated, and let’s see if I can find a solution for the towel rings. Much to do so let’s get to it… Clean and pretty classic, right? So the biggest changes would be the wall color suggestion and the darker stain on the wood cabinets and trim. But switching up those old sconces with these stunning ones would be amazing! Just would want the reader to make sure they were long enough. And keep things golden, those switchplates need some love…or not. Get rid of them! These are all of our favorites so do with that what you will:) Another fun item I had to swap was that outdated ceiling fan! This one is simple, pretty, and has a brass detail to tie everything together. A super great thing about this bathroom is that the countertop is huge! That leaves room for almost any size of tray and I really love this beauty from Target. Then I chose that white vase and pretty candle. But since the countertop is so long I think that tall pitcher will look so great in the left corner. For some reason, I really wanted to keep the metals consistent in this bathroom so that very elegant towel holder, switchplates, and hook are all from Rejuvenation. Lastly, we have the textiles. I wanted to keep it super simple but really textured and the combo of these two I think looks great together and mesh really well with the space. Ok guys, it’s the freakin weekend now so I hope that this post inspired you a little to start to tackle a big or even small home project. And as always thank you to everyone that submitted!! Love you, mean it.

home decor

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