fix it friday we gave 4 relatable entryways some major design advice to bring them back to life

Home Decor

FIX IT FRIDAY: We Gave 4 Relatable Entryways Some Major Design Advice To Bring Them Back To Life

Drescription

Anytime we’ve talked about entryways, we always say two things. They are the first thing you see when you walk into your home so you want to create a space that instantly makes you happy, and secondly, we know they are notoriously hard to keep organized/are a dumping ground. Not an ideal combo, right? That’s why we thought entryways were a great space for our second “Fix it Friday” post.

Now remember, the point of these posts is to show you that you don’t need to throw every single piece you already own out to create a space you’ll love. There may even be pieces in other parts of your home you can move around making the whole house feel a little newer! A real budget-friendly hack that I don’t think is promoted enough.

But back to entries. I am now of the firm belief that entryways are like snowflakes and no two are 100% alike. We got so many awesome entries that I wanted to help but since I couldn’t, I picked 4 that felt versatile enough that they would spark ideas for a lot of you. Plus there are a lot of cute things I found in case you are in the market:)

Also as I was looking at all of the entries we’ve done over the years (or our designer friends) there is a ton of inspiration too! Make sure you study them. Take this basement entry of Emily’s best friend’s old home. That “built-in” was partially a ready-made piece that was customized making it a bit more affordable overall! Oh, and the color palette is very intentional and colorful, but also neutral and sophisticated.

These photos were ideas from a Target shoot we did that were just as useful but even more affordable. While this is much easier said than done, once you really know your and/or your family’s needs you can clearly think through what the physical pieces you should get are and perhaps try to create new habits that will help to lessen the visual clutter (that’s the harder part, obviously:))

Now, we still want it to be pretty which is probably the biggest reason you come to a design site. Funcation is great (and necessary) but a little form never hurt anyone. Take Sara’s “entry” above. It’s teeny tiny but she chose pieces that fit within her space and with her style and added pretty things like new leather pulls on the cabinets, a cute lamp, properly scaled art (more on that later), etc.

Ok, let’s finally get into these real-life examples. But if you need a little more visual guidance, here’s a graphic with 5 easy-peasy formulas to help you in your home.

Bigger May Be Better

Here’s what she said about it: “Our entry is not a separate space, it leads right into our open concept first floor. I love the vestibule with the moulding and wallpaper and 120+-year-old doors, but once you get inside the second door I don’t feel like the cabinet and decor relate to it very well. I feel like I keep adding more decor to make it feel more “designed” but something has always felt off. I am open to any ideas you have, but the moulding is on plaster and would be really difficult to remove so I think that is the only thing I wouldn’t do.”

Since these post are really just for light decor ideas that’s what I’m going to focus on. Plus this is such a pretty home that it doesn’t need much! But what I find is the most related issue is scale. While that Target cabinet is so so cute, it feels a little too small for me. I think something longer would be an immediate visual upgrade. But let’s get into the designs so I can talk about it more.

I created two design options because since I don’t know what the other side of the room looks like I wanted to give an option with the light wood credenza and one that’s darker. Let’s start dark. I feel that a darker wood credenza would look so beautiful next to those vintage doors. It adds a bit more richness which could be what this reader is looking for! I also think that adding a larger mirror to lean on the top with the other piece of art would also help make it feel grander (in a good). Plus mirrors are always helpful when running out the door for a last-minute check. I love the table lamp and other accessories they already have but getting a tray would help to corral some of them to make everything feel more intentionally placed. I also added a few more things since the credenza was a bit longer:) Oh and adding a cute boot tray like that metal one could also make things look a bit more streamlined but not mandatory:)

As I said before, I don’t know what the other side of the room looks like so the lighter wood could look WAY better with the overall space. So I made another combo with the same but larger credenza with some other pretty accessories that would all look great together. Good luck!!

In Need Of A little Function

This sweet little PXD home doesn’t really seem to have a space to drop your keys or store your everyday shoes. The budget for this one was $500 and I am pretty proud that both combos are cute and nailed the budget! Now, the existing runner rug and wood cube are great. I did an option with the existing rug but feel that, while so pretty, the cube isn’t helping in the function department aside from a place to sit or place down a bag. Let me show you what I came up with.

I took a swing with the combo on the left and went more with a classic PDX style. That console table is simple but great and only $126. The rug is a little more of a splurge but it’s almost the length as the original (this one is 9′ and her’s is 10′) but is available in much bigger sizes! Then for a little color, I think this schoolhouse-y plug-in sconce is awesome and works well with the style of her flush mount. They to elevate the look a little I loved this marble tray and cool little vase. But of course, shoe storage is key and I love these baskets from Target. The weave pattern is pretty and I love the warmth of the leather straps. The total for this look was $494!

For the combo on the right, I let the style of the rug they have take charge! I chose the same console table since the price could not be beat and I really love that classic linen shade sconce because it also goes great with the flush mount. Then to space out some black accents, that tray is stunning in person (Emily has it) and the black leather straps on the shoe storage baskets tie the whole thing together. But to add a little fun, the checkered planter is perfect (and would look awesome with a plant:)), and a pretty candle always belongs in an entry…especially when it’s in a pretty vessel you can reuse after the candle is long gone. This total was $502 which isn’t too bad either!

Simple But Cool

Let’s start with what our lovely reader had to say when she emailed me: “We just moved in a couple of months ago and would love to get the team’s help. Attached are some pictures. I also included a coat rack we have but not sure if we should hang it up. Not sure if it’ll look too cluttered above the shoes. Oh, the measurements are 80in x 40in and the budget is around $300. Thanks so much!”

Isn’t this a great and almost blank canvas!?! Since the budget is small, shoe storage is clearly important, oh, and they have a gorgeous coak rack already, I kept it simple but fun…at least to me:)

I am partial to the combo on the left but it is fairly over budget buuuut could be reduced a little which I’ll get to. Now as I said above, the coat rack is a no-brainer but if it were my home, I would try to eliminate as much of the visual shoe clutter as possible. That’s why I picked this shoe bench! It’s pretty, goes great with the coat rack, and the cushion is leather so it’s easy to clean. There is a linen version that’s almost $30 cheaper. I also added a shoe basket since the bench doesn’t hold as many pairs as the rack they have. Of course, to lower the budget by another $30 that could also be eliminated. Lastly, a rug with a graphic pattern would really inject a ton of personality! This one is probably my favorite rug in our collection and has been in my kitchen for at least 6 months so I can attest to its durability:) The total for the whole combo is $481 (I know it’s a lot over but it’s not easy finding the right pieces at the right prices! Oh, and remember it could be $420).

So for the second combo, I went with the original open-storage look but wanted to make it feel a little more modern. I think this shoe rack is very cool and also looks great with the coat rack. Then to really go graphic and match the shoe rack, I love this rug. It’s amazing how three little things can change the whole vibe of a space. This one comes to $385…

Ok wait, there’s a third option. To save A LOT of money, they could also spray paint the current shoe rack black and get the shoe show basket for more storage. Then they could pick either rug. This would put them very under budget:)

Oh and for those who love that coat rack but need a more affordable option, here’s a great one!

A Looooong Journey

From our reader: “I’m looking for any suggestions for our awkwardly long entryway. The double doors take up all the width so we can’t put furniture close to the doors or else the right door won’t open all the way. (The right door is the main one with the deadbolt.) We use the entryway to store all of our dog-walking gear. The runner is not my favorite, but I have to have some sort of rug to prevent my dog from slipping (she is arthritic). A sitting area is not needed; we just had the bench from the last house and brought it here. The width of the entryway is 74″ and depth is 24′. The distance from the doorway to the edge of the first room door is 8′.”

This one was bar far the trickiest one so I very much felt for this reader (or anyone with a very long entryway!) And sure there are way to potentially break up the length by adding some architecture but that’s not what we are going into today.

Now this reader didn’t give me a budget so I did my best to find both really affordable pieces and moderately affordable pieces. The truth of the matter is that prices have just gone up (I’m sure everyone reading this knows) so searching on sites like Craigslist or hunting in person is never a bad idea to help save some money and of course, create less waste in the future. But since that’s now really helping to any of you, here we are! Let’s dig in shall we?

So while this was a feat, I am pretty proud of these combos and hope this reader loves them too! The first combo is where I played off more of what I saw in the photos – very light woods and neutrals. That credenza not only has a ton of storage for all things pets and life, it’s also a whopping 120″! That’s pretty huge for one piece of furniture…but still is only half of the total length of the hallway. That’s why I added a chair that could sit on either side of it (a potted plant could work too). I imagine someone putting on or taking off their shoes while sitting in it, making the shoe basket a perfect side companion. But going back to the credenza, it’s long which means it will need some more decor to make it look not totally empty. I love how the black in the lamp talks to the chair and shoe basket. Then a vase is always a great decor piece with or without flowers and I think this tray is so cute! I didn’t realize that they already have a wicker bowl which would also be perfect. And siiiince there’s space, you know I love a good candelabra:) The art for this was the hardest and these three pieces are more of a jumping-off point. The reader definitely needs to measure it all out and probably add since the wall is so huge. But they also don’t have to fill up the whole wall. Oh, and since there is soooo much happening on the credenza side, I think the 4 photos they have should be moved to the opposite wall in a grid and maybe stick that little bench under them as long as there’s enough walking space. Now, I left the existing rug in this combo to make it more affordable but the other rug would also look awesome. The only thing is that they will need to get 2 since it doesn’t come in that long of a size.

OK, combo #2! I’m a sucker for that medium-toned wood so this credenza is magic to me. Plus, the brass hardware is so so pretty. Overall this is a still neutral but a warmer option. That print from Juniper Shop can be printed up to 55″x79″ (which is the size I tried to measure out in the graphic)! Can you believe it? What I also love is that you have the option for them to print it on paper or canvas OR you can get a very affordable digital download (but then you have to get it printed and framed which is something to consider if you want to go big). But I love this specific piece because it’s colorful but soft and has so much movement. It’s not going to overwhelm the space. Let this be a lesson in scale. When things are more or less the same size or too small, it almost never looks right or properly designed. So when in doubt say no to itsy bitsy and go bigger. Oh, and aren’t those sconces great? It’s amazing how many cute battery-operated options there are out there now. I just thought these linen shades felt a little softer which I wanted. The accessories each have a fun detail about them whether that’s pattern, material, and/or shape! Actually, pattern is an important element to this, including the easy-to-clean, shed-resistant, water-resistant runner (which again, they’ll need two and potentially a rug pad or some rug tape so their sweet pup doesn’t slip). It will help make the space feel more alive. But to not have too much pattern I love love the shape of that leather chair which I paired with a simple shoe basket.

Now, all this of course is going to add up so I also looked at more affordable credenza options like this wall-mounted IKEA cabinet that they could get a couple of but I worry about the mesh getting dusty or full of dog hair. I also loved this affordable extra-long cabinet (under $650) but the wood tone looked a little too yellow and the wood grain looked too similar. The last idea I had was if they were handy that they could build something like this at their desired length. That way they could fill it with books, bins, or whatever they’d like. Oh, and something I didn’t mention above is that they could also add some hooks by the front door if they wanted their pet leases more accessible :)

Well, that’s it for me! I truly hope that these 4 readers find this helpful and for the rest of you, that you are a least a little inspired.

Love you, mean it.

It’s Not Too Late—6 Fast-Growing Crops You Can Still Plant in Late July

For gardeners, spring is all about planting seeds and starts to give summer crops ample time to reach maturity. But planting doesn't have to end just because summer is in full swing. In fact, there are plenty of quick-growing crops you can plant in July that will mature in time for a fall or even late summer harvest. Some of these plants, like greens, simply grow quickly, especially with summer's warm temperatures and abundant sunlight, while others are bred to be "early" varieties that mature quickly. Whether you've already harvested spring or early summer crops and want to plant something in their place or simply got a late start on gardening this year, you can still plant in July to enjoy a harvest later in the season. Here are 6 fast-growing crops to consider for high summer planting in your garden. Beans Both pole beans and bush beans can be planted in July for a late summer or early fall harvest. Plant seed in a garden bed with full sun and loamy, moist, well-drained soil. Keep the soil evenly moist as the plants grow, and be sure to provide pole varieties with stakes, a trellis, or other support for them to climb. Pick the beans when their pods are flat and tender to eat them as green beans, allow them to size up in the pod for fresh shell beans, or let them dry on the vine and harvest them at the end of the season to use them as dry beans. Radishes Fast-growing radishes are an ideal addition to your vegetable garden starting in mid-July. Radishes require six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day and rich, well-drained soil to thrive. Many small varieties are ready to harvest in about a month from planting the seed. Plant again every two weeks through September to extend your radish harvest into fall. Kale Kale, collards, and other brassicas are ideal to seed in late July or early August for an abundant crop of greens in fall. Seed kale in the ground or in a container in a spot that receives rich, well-drained soil and full to part sun. Plants take roughly three months from seeding to mature and are ready to pick once they're about 12 inches tall. However, you can harvest tender leaves as baby kale to use in salads or cooking in as little as 20 to 30 days. Carrots Carrots take longer to mature than some of the fast-growing vegetables on this list, but July isn't too late to plant seed for a late summer or early fall crop. Direct seed carrots in the ground or in a container at least 12 inches deep. Choose a spot with full sun and rich, well-drained soil, or amend the site with compost before planting. Water consistently to keep carrots from splitting or cracking. Some carrot varieties can be ready to harvest in about 50 days, while others take 75 days to mature. Waiting until after your region's first frost can help your carrots taste sweeter. Beets Another fast-growing root vegetable, beets are ideal to seed in July for a late summer or early fall crop. Their seeds can germinate in hot summer temperatures up to 90°F, and the plants are also frost-tolerant. Plant beet seeds in a spot that has moist, well-drained soil and gets full to part sun (though they'll grow best with at least six hours of direct sunlight per day). If you're not a fan of the earthy flavor of red beets, consider planting golden or Chioggia varieties, which taste milder. Cover Crops While it doesn't result in an edible harvest, July could be a great time to plant a cover crop. Cover crops, also called green manure, are plants like legumes, grasses, and some brassicas that are grown before, after, or between vegetable crops to add nutrition, keep weeds down, and support overall soil health. Cover crops like legumes are often planted in spring, but quick-growing grasses like winter rye, winter wheat, annual ryegrass, and oats can be planted in midsummer or late summer after you harvest vegetables. You can let grasses planted as cover crops grow for at least one month before turning over the bed to terminate the crop. Another option is to allow the cover crop to overwinter, then turn it in before planting the following spring. However, it's important to terminate the crop before it goes to seed.

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

Ryann Got A Perm (!!) Wanna See The 2022 Version?? Let’s Just Say She May Never Go Back

Here’s the thing I know will be true. Some of you with naturally curly hair will want to shake me and scream why would you want to change your perfectly straight hair?? Those with straight hair will be super intrigued and eager to see how this turns out. We all want we can’t have. When I showed family my new perm my aunt with gorgeous naturally curly hair was like, “It looks good! But I want straight hair!” It’s just the way it goes. All of us straight-haired gals dream about curly hair at one time or another. Because I have always had straight hair, I have always envied people with bouncy, exciting curls. I am talking Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City or Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman vibes. So a couple of years ago when I heard perms are back, I immediately hopped on board. My mom grew up in the eighties so I have heard perm horror stories but I wouldn’t let that deter me. But then a pandemic happened and lots of things became more pressing than getting a perm. But as fate would have it, a few months ago the opportunity to get a perm landed in my lap. Just as all hero journeys go, the stars aligned and I was chosen for the quest. This is me and my naturally straight hair. And I love my hair, I really do. I am very lucky to have healthy, thick, long hair, but the look you see here is the one thing my hair does. What I mean is, I am not capable of any type of hairstyling so hair down is the only hair “look” I have in my arsenal. I was beyond ready to switch it up and try something very new. Enter Curl Cult founded by Emily’s friend and hairstylist Janine. Janine spent four years in Italy creating this new perm technology so I felt extremely safe and comfortable in her hands. I am famously super trusting with hairstylists so I was ready for her to give me the most intense, voluminous curls possible. You know what they say. When in Rome. Emily was pretty nervous for me and volunteered to be my mom/hair advocate. But I am fairly gutsy when it comes to my hair. I have chopped off all my hair multiple times including getting a pixie cut when I was 16. I guess I have never had a haircut bad enough to make me fearful. *KNOCKS ON WOOD* I think the above photo depicts Emily, a curly-haired gal explaining to me, a straight-haired gal, that I will have CURLS by the end of this. HA. I think we both would like to swap hair (hence Emily’s blowout and my eagerness to get a perm) so she was trying her best to prep me for curly hair life. Her biggest fear was that I wouldn’t like it. My biggest fear was that my hair would be a few inches shorter. But other than that I was ready and excited. I showed Janine the level of curl I wanted, while Emily held all the nerves for me. I knew I wanted a layered, voluminous look and was willing to go extremely curly. I really wanted a brand new look, so the curlier the better. HERE WE GO! First, Lauren gave me a trim and layered my hair so the curls wouldn’t be too uniform. If I wasn’t getting married this year, I would have done a full 70s shag perm with bangs. But I had to keep it tame for the wedding, and getting bangs is always a risk. This is the last photo of me with straight hair. Now the party’s about to begin. Once my hair was washed and conditioned, Janine got to work rolling individual, approximately 1 inch sized strands of my hair. I am no mathematician but I think she had to put in around 100 rolls in my hair. This process probably took the longest and by the time this step was complete, it felt like my head weighed an extra 15 pounds from all the rollers. The next step is putting a liberal amount of perm solution on each strand. If you ever have gotten a perm, you might remember the smell. It’s not pleasant and the sulfur stink would linger in your hair for days. I didn’t know this but luckily I didn’t have to experience it. Janine spent 4 years working with a chemist in Italy to remove the stinky smells of perms. Her perm reduced the caustic odor adding a fresh berry scent and it WORKED. So this isn’t a smelly American perm, it’s a refined berry-infused ~Italian perm~ Once the solution was applied, I sat in a chair under a heat lamp and waited for about 30 minutes. Once the perm goddesses (Janine and Lauren) declared the solution was set, they applied a neutralizer. This is another way Janine eliminated steps in the perm process. Their neutralizer is applied over their perm solution, so there is no more messy rinsing and blotting at the bowl. Seriously, Janine’s process is magic. Once the rollers were removed we rinsed and conditioned my hair once more. You know the famous Legally Blonde quote? “Isn’t it the first cardinal rule of perm maintenance that you are forbidden to wet your hair for at least 24 hours after getting a perm at the risk of deactivating the ammonium thioglycolate” Well more accurately, you are forbidden to shampoo your hair for 48 hours. If you do, it will reverse the perm so if you have full regret, it’s an option. But luckily that was not my experience at all. The next step feels the longest because you just want to see what the result is. But you must wait for it to air dry so the curls can fully activate. My hair is very thick so this took about an hour (with the help of a heat lamp). As I was letting it air dry I could see the curls were forming and becoming more alive by the minute as I was anxiously awaiting the final reveal. SHE HAS CURLS. Honestly, we were all shocked at how good it looked. You really never know what a hairstyle change will do to your face and your whole look but luckily I was immediately in love. I think I said “I feel like Julia Roberts ala Pretty Woman” far too many times. You can almost tell through photos how soft and touchable this perm is. Perms back in the day were crunchy but this perm feels and looks natural. People have assumed that I’ve always had curly hair and that I am just now starting to wear it naturally. *flips hair* No big deal. The texture is so gorgeous and soft. I couldn’t stop flipping my hair back and forth – it was so fun. That day was windy so you can really see the frizz but as someone with straight hair, I found the big frizzy hair extremely charming. You can come for me in the comments if you want, but I feel powerful having voluminous hair that can not be tamed. So this concludes my hero’s journey. It was the best experience and I would 100% do it all over again. Next time, I might even go shoulder-length and even curlier. I am all in. If you want this perm (and you should) I have great news. You do not need to be based in LA to get it. Your stylist can be Curl Cult Certified and join the movement in just 45 minutes. Just have them start here. You can also find a Curl Cult Certified stylist near you here. And there’s us – just 3 curly-haired gals out on the town! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Janine for giving me the curls I have always wanted. It’s so fun being a curly-haired gal and I think everyone should try it. Here is a video of the whole process if you are interested (just wait for the add to play): And in case you are curious, here is what it looks like now, one month after the perm: This is another difference between the Curl Cult perm and the perms of the past. The grow-out process is much easier because the perm softens over time. My perm has already softened so I get effortless, beach curls with no heat or styling tools. I just use the Curl Cult Shampoo and Conditioner, Magic Spell (this stuff is bottled GOLD), and Curl Cream and let it air dry (you can get the whole kit here). I am famously very lazy with my hair so it’s incredible I get this look with the tiniest bit of effort. Again, THANK YOU JANINE. I could not have enjoyed this experience or the results more. If you have any questions, fire them down below.

Are You Picking Your Cantaloupe the Right Way? What to Know Before Your Next Harvest

Timing is important when growing cantaloupe. The right amount of water and heat at the right time makes the difference between sweet, juicy melons and less desirable fruit. When your cantaloupe crop is successful, harvesting melons at peak flavor is the next step to enjoying this summer favorite. Why Timing Matters for Cantaloupe Harvest Once cantaloupe is removed from the vine, it is as sweet as it will ever be. It's not like tomatoes that continue to ripen in a sunny window. Underripe cantaloupes are hard, crunchy, and lack flavor. Overripe fruits are mushy and sweet to the point of fermentation. They also may have cracked or developed mold, rendering them inedible. Harvesting the perfect, sweet, fragrant cantaloupe is easy when you see these signs. 5 Signs Your Cantaloupe Is Ready to Pick Separates Easily From Stem: Growers use the term "full slip" to describe how the melon detaches from the vine. Look for small cracks and a slight depression around the stem. A tug on the fruit causes it to part from the stem easily. Full slip is often described as the best way to know a cantaloupe is ready for harvest. Fragrance: A perfectly ripe cantaloupe is fragrant with a sweet, honeylike scent. Raised Rind: Look for raised ridges on the rind running from stem to blossom end at regular intervals around the melon. Color: Rind should be gray or beige and may show some peachy color. A green rind indicates the cantaloupe is not yet ripe. Dry Leaves: Dry vine leaves near the stem indicate melons are either ripe or close to being ready. 6 Signs Your Cantaloupe Is Either Overripe or Not Yet Ready Stem tightly attached: When you give a tug on the melon, but it remains firmly attached to the stem, it's not ready to pick. Green color: An underripe cantaloupe has a green rind. Lacks fragrance: Ripe melons are fragrant. No scent indicates the fruit is immature and not ready for harvest. Mushy spots or cracks in rind: Cantaloupe rind should be hard. If it gives when pressed or has mushy, sunken spots or cracks, the fruit is overripe. Fermented fragrance: Sugars in overripe fruit start to ferment and have a vinegary or alcoholic odor. Mold: Black or greenish mold on the rind or around the stem indicates the melon is overripe and should be discarded. How to Harvest and Store Cantaloupe When cantaloupe is ready to harvest, give the fruit a tug to separate it from the stem. The stem end should show a slight depression with a little bit of give when pressed. Cutting fruit from the vine is not recommended. Handle harvested melons gently to avoid bruising. Store whole, ripe melons in the refrigerator for up to five days. If your cantaloupe isn't fully ripe, you can keep it at room temperature for several days. It won't become any sweeter, but it may soften. Wash the rind before cutting and remove it before refrigerating. Prepared melon keeps in the refrigerator in an airtight container for three or four days. Cantaloupe can also be cubed, frozen on trays, then packed into plastic bags or containers. It retains flavor for up to six months in the freezer but is best used in drink mixes or as an ingredient in cooked recipes.