As Birdie succinctly told Charlie while I was in the other room, ‘this tree is more fun and REALLY messy, the other tree is more pretty.’ Indeed. Since we happen to have two hang out spaces (living and family) we broke them up and put the more pretty/curated tree in the more formal space and put all the personal ornaments in here. And in here, the family room, there is a ‘no rules’ approach to decorating the tree and I just let them go for it. This is where they take out each ornament and squeal with a ‘mama I remember this!’ reaction when it is one that they picked out or got for a gift, and then they throw it on the tree, haphazardly for sure. More color, more fun, more personal. Here we go.
I still wanted to keep it fairly manageable and easy to keep together, so I didn’t go all out but wanted to bring in more red. I swear that living up here and not having access to stores (sure, online but I have to order at least 10 days in advance) is making me use what we have and helping me hold back, in a good way. For instance, I could have put two wreaths in those windows (which would have looked cute in the shot) but the room as a whole had enough (and I didn’t have the wreaths). Instead, we did tree, garland, and those cute little plush toys that I’ve had forever and work so well up here and the kids love (sorry no longer available). I got a couple of new pillows because I had given all of my bolder red ones away to an EHD Insider Member when I thought I wouldn’t want red up here (I was wrong).
The mantel just has a garland and a tree figurine garland that might need to be taken down because when we keep the fire on for hours it melts the hot glue holding the wood pieces onto the garland… whoops.
There she is, dripping with ornaments and 2-3 different garlands? Brian picked up the tree from Target last week, and I added that cute tray, a couple of pillows (dotted and color blocked) and popcorn bowl to the order but everything else we had. Don’t worry, the kids drink from those Santa mugs year-round, every. single. day. which I objected to because I wanted to keep them special but then I was like ‘why am I making this a battle?’ and just let them drink water with Santa. The bottle brush trees are from a few years ago (similar ones here).
We don’t have a star on this tree, which I’m ok with because the one that we had rotates neon lights on the ceiling which the kids obviously LOVE so I “let them”/insisted on them having it in their room. The rocker is from Monroe Workshop that I’ve had since Birdie was a baby and it’s going to be a permanent family heirloom. I’m pretty sure that plaid cloth is a tablecloth, FYI
She is dripping with ornaments and we haven’t even got our 2020 personalized ones in the mail yet (remember this post?). A lot of DIYed from last year, ornaments from trips, or just ones that they picked out at Target last year or the year before as ‘their’ ornaments (the sequin iguana for instance).
We even have a few from Brian when he was little (on the right) and Charlie’s from preschool (on the left). Not to brag but I made that button snowman last year (white and black buttons + hot glue) and it reads ‘mama 2019’ on the bottom OF COURSE.
We saved a few ornaments to put on during this shoot, to try to get some family shots (and it was HARD FYI).
This year I finally got around to putting all my Santa photos in frames, inspired by a friend who always does it. It’s such a fun thing to collect and put out.
I’ve already amassed quite the collection:) Also what is going to happen this year??? Seems like even with masks it’s going to feel very questionable to see Santa.
I love that we can pull these out every year, frame them in readymade frames (I just used these from Target) and it makes the room feel so personal and “holiday” but in a simple way of just one element.
I made myself stop in these rooms, almost. I put a wreath and a cookie jar in the kitchen, and hung some wreaths and a quick tablescape in the dining room. I had a lot of extra decoration that was taunting me to spread around the house – bathrooms, kid’s room, etc, but instead, I gave it all to my neighbor and just had a newborn and it felt SO good.
Are you guys feeling like you are going more all out this year? Or pulling it back? I think 2 full trees is enough for us this year
Hey everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful (and safe) Thanksgiving that hopefully left you very full. Now we’re full-blown into the holiday season and no one can stop us *que It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.* We’ve got a full out link up for you guys today, and also remember there are LOTS of great sales this weekend so check out our Black Friday post if you missed it. Now onto the link up!
If you haven’t seen Ginny’s newest project, your design heart is about to explode (in the happy way:)). Y’all it’s so GOOD!! But let’s be honest, is that a surprise? So do yourself a Sunday favor and go check out the whole house that also was shot by Sara (which makes our EHD hearts explode). Then go read all about it on Clever.
From Emily: I decided that this is the year I’m going to try to smell good. It’s not that I smelled bad before, but I’ve NEVER worn perfume and I don’t have a ‘scent’. After begging my more beauty/smell expert friends they both agreed that Kai smells good on literally everyone and nobody doesn’t not like it. I put it on last night after a bath and snuggled up to watch a movie with the kids and Brian and everyone, EVERYONE, was like ‘mama you smell goooooood’. It’s not overpowering, just a nice floral/gardenia scent that I LOVE. I bought the lotion and the roller ball. Brian is a BIG fan
From Caitlin: OH BOY Y’ALL. After flying east at the beginning of the month and spending a little over 2 weeks in isolation, I finally reunited with my mom this week and it WAS SO FUN. She also surprised me with THE BEST THING EVER: an Apple numeric keyboard. I’ve only ever used the tiny, standard one and this has been a TRUE GAME CHANGER. I do a lot of math and data tracking here and I didn’t realize that having a dedicated number pad would make things SO much easier and make me MUCH faster!!! 100000/10, best gift of all time, SUPER thoughtful present idea for anyone else who does math on their computers all day, especially with their gift card promo going on right now!!!
From Albie: Kyvol Cybovac E20 Robot Vacuum Cleaner – I call him Kyle & he vacuums the first floor for us every morning, 9:00am sharp. Very Jetsons of us, I know, lol
From Ryann: I just bought these matching pajamas for my fiancé and I plus this matching bandana for my sweet dog Gus and YA’LL I can’t wait to get a picture of our lil fam wearing them. My family never wore Christmas PJs growing up but that atrocity ends now!!! I got so excited purchasing them and am official team matching pajamas forever and hopefully can get ones for us for every holiday.
From Mallory: I realized I forgot to add something to my gift guide and it’s very important… I gave this as a birthday gift to my friend last year and it was such a good gift that I could NOT stop talking about it for MONTHS. Then when my birthday came around, I also received it as a gift and I use it ALL THE TIME. What is it you ask? It’s a beer on tap machine where you put any bottle or can into it and it comes out ON TAP. THAT’S RIGHT YOU GUYS IT’S BEER ON TAP IN YOUR HOME. I didn’t realize how much I missed having a foamy beer at a bar or restaurant until I got this and it works SOOO WELL. Oh, and it’s portable also, which is great if you want to take it somewhere or if you want to set it on a bar cart or somewhere and not have to use a cord (which is so ideal). If you don’t want to use batteries though, it does come with a plug-in also that’s optional, so really it’s just perfect for anyone and everyone and you should get it for yourself or for someone for the holidays. It’s the easiest one-click gift. I have a lot of good things to say about it and it’s so good that whoever you give it to will also probably have a lot of good things to say about it.
From Malcolm: These puzzles by Puzzle Huddle would make great gifts for young kids this holiday season! I assembled one with my nephews over the summer, and they absolutely loved it. Moreover, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but I cannot speak highly enough about the power of representation. Puzzle Huddle is a Black-owned business and embodies the fact that creating toys that mirror children’s skin color, hair texture, and features can provide profound affirmation for a child’s positive self image. And there’s more! They partner with a variety of artists to illustrate their puzzles, so they also support the arts! What’s not to love?
Also from Malcolm: I snagged this brass-framed mirror from Wayfair a couple years ago for the bathroom in my old house. It’s hefty size and deep shelf is a real showstopper, and it looks just as good in my hallway now! And it’s currently on sale! Snag one for yourself!
From Jess: I have found a really awesome gift for that stylish but really hard to shop for person on your list! Remember that incredible ribbon art in Bowser’s Dining Nook? Well the artist, Angela Chrusciaki Blehm has collaborated with andSons Chocolatiers to make probably the most beautiful box of chocolates I have even seen. They aren’t cheap but they are very special (and delicious).
Also from Caitlin: THIS. ROBE. AHH. Erik actually ordered this with all his bedding (wish he had shot his photos in it) but I heard rave reviews and I’m a goober so OBVIOUSLY I HAD TO TRY IT. I had been using a cheap robe from Amazon for the past ~5 years and I had NO IDEA there would be such a difference. It feels like a hotel in my house!!! So plush and luxe! I bought it full price because I’m impatient (and it was worth it) but it’s on sale now!!! 100000/10, am considering buying another in graphite.
So that’s all for today! Check back for more awesome sales tomorrow for our cyber Monday post. Now enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers and we’ll see you tomorrow for a fun reveal! Xx
Em here – You may remember Erik from his bold, luxe, and altogether fabulous living room reveal earlier this year. Many of you clamored for his bedroom reveal (I did, too), but… it wasn’t technically finished yet. So to kick off almost-2021 with a bang and a fun project – and to take a break from the hundreds of roundups I’m sure you’re inundated with today – we wanted to start his Makeover Takeover process with an Ask The Audience.
Every room needs a jumping-off point, and we decided to start this one by picking out the bedding. As I’ve written in many posts, Brooklinen makes my all-time favorite duvet insert (I also have their sheets on my own bed :)), and they graciously sent us a couple of pieces to play with. As an unexpected bonus, since it is a holiday weekend, everything here is 20% off. Great timing for a fun post. Win/win.
So today, we’re presenting three bedding options. We brought in Sara to shoot everything, Erik styled out the space a bit to fit each vibe, and we also had him outline a little future design plan for each iteration. In time you’ll see this room fully revealed, but today… let’s just have some fun and vote on some bedding for our dear friend. It’s time to get out 2021 MOTOs started. Take it away, Erik…
Hi gang! Remember me? I am back on the blog with another serving of my piping hot apartment. This time however, I am looking for a little guidance. I have lived in my 1931 apartment for 4 years and my bedroom hasn’t changed hardly at all. As a stylist who thrives on mixing things up, this room has felt the most stagnant.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love the design of the space but I think it could be redefined and tightened up. The best (and also affordable) way of dipping my toes into this redesign process was with bedding! I wanted to use Brooklinen for two big reasons. Their quality is undeniable, and as someone who walks on the wild side, they have wonderful options with color and print! (A bonus third reason would be that they are Emily’s favorite.)
I am letting the bedding that I, nay WE, decide on be the jumping-off point for a FULL BEDROOM MAKEOVER. So needless to say this is a life and death decision I am asking for your help with. Think of me as a design goldilocks. I’ve got to find one that is juuust right!
As you have seen in my living room and dining room posts, I LOVE color. Yet my bedroom has always been the exception. I like the idea of a place of slumber that isn’t too visually stimulating but compared to the rest of my home, my bedroom was leaning on drab.
Enter look #1! I wanted to introduce some warmth to the space, so I brought in some pink and red tones. Starting with an organic pattern sheet set gave a more eclectic feel from the jump. This one is a limited edition print called ‘Topographic’ and it really does look like map lines. (For what it’s worth, I used the bundle set to order all of these because it knocks down the price, but things are also available a la carte.)
I layered with a truly chic geometric quilt, which brought in the black of the rug (a gift from Emily), and topped it all with some quilted linen shams. The white shams, contrasted with all the pattern and color, definitely took the whole look to a slightly calmer place.
I moved in some antique mismatched nightstands to give my signature granny look. Added a pair of 1920s deco art and BOOM! we were in a whole new lane. This is much more in line with the rest of my place but my concern is that I am straying away from a more minimal room, which is something I am looking for where I rest my head.
But since I love the pattern mixing and color palette here, I’ll probably paint the room the lightest shade of blush to warm it up, swap the rug for something sleeker and more contemporary, and get a pair of modern lamps to bridge the geometric quilt and my apartment’s natural Deco detailing. It’d be quiet, lightly colorful minimalism with hits of black and vintage accents, which would be pretty soothing.
Next up in the group is my sophisticated moody option. Now I have always loved anything fancy and most definitely have a flair for the dramatic, making look #2 a real serious contender. High contrast is the name of the game and keeping things neat will always be easy on the eyes.
I fell in love with this thin stripe duvet cover that feels super dapper. I then alternated from dark to light, adding crisp white sheets, then charcoal pillowcases, then white pillowcases. I really liked using these pillowcases in particular because they all come with an envelope closure, which keeps them looking really neat and full and tidy.
Honestly though, the best part of this ensemble is the black linen lightweight quilt folded at the foot. The quality is pure heaven. As I am writing this post I’m literally wrapped in it.
Rounding out the rest of the room, I had a woodworking friend whip up some basic nightstands stained black. I dug through my vast collection of black and white sketches and voila! I had double-downed on the classy. This option really feels the most elevated, but I am wondering if the moodiness is too much with my current styling. I want to feel light as a feather when I wake up.
If we go this route, I would most definitely change the curtains to a vivid white gauzy linen to lighten the space, and switch the art to something more white and minimal, like a set of line drawings. It would make the bed the star. (Emily note: or should we go super dark??? Should we make Erik paint his room black??? Vote in the comments!!)
Last but certainly not least is our pattern play moment. I have always been an advocate for all white beds. It feels like a hotel, will never go out of style, and they are very easy to keep clean and bright (with a little help from bleach). A great way to keep neutral beds visually interesting is to mix in a little texture and a lot of pattern. Look #3 works so well because of how the patterns are layered in.
I started with the smallest pattern as my foundation, knowing that would be the busiest. This is a good rule of thumb for mixing patterns on bedding (it’s also what I did with look #1). I really liked how deep the fitted sheet is – it’s 15″ which means that it stays firmly in place (no snapping up in the middle of the night) and you can easily pull it taut which is great for patterns like this.
Then, I went for a medium scale on the pillows – simple horizontal lines for my pillowcases, and adding some texture with the ticking stitch shams. Finishing it off with the largest scale print on top is this fabulous grid stripe. They all play well together because they are all in the same color story, but are all different sizes. (Emily note: This is actually the sheet/duvet setup I have for my bed! Now eyeballing those shams, though…)
I painted some vintage nightstands a creme color to mix up the white and hung a vintage black and white poster to connect back to the black rug. Just like that, I had a room that was both tranquil and detailed. This look really has longevity and can easily grow with my evolving makeover…nevertheless I don’t want to play anything too safe. Design should be frisky!
Which is why if I went for this one, I would eliminate the majority of the black and warm tones – the rug, the curtains, the nightstands, the pedestal. I’d probably get a white shag rug, white curtains, white nightstands. And then I’d be bringing in pops of color in the accessories to keep it saucy. Multi-colored art, a pink throw, blue lamps, etc.
So as I was pulling all these fabulous bedding options, I also decided to add some loungewear to my cart just for fun. This post is not supposed to be about my sweatsuit, buuuuuuut… insanely soft and cleanly tailored, I struck couch potato gold with these babies. I obviously had to wear them for my pics for the post because why NOT go all the way in Brooklinen head to toe (to bed)??
I have worn them for the last 4 days to everything from my afternoon walks, to my marathon of Gilmore Girls, to my two martini happy hour before dinner. Nothing feels as wonderful as cocktails and an elastic waist. Run, don’t walk, to grab these staples for the upcoming colder months. They are THAT good that they deserved a section of the post. (Maybe a great gift? They also come in ladies’ sizes.)
ANYWAY. Back to business. My bedding dilemma. So with all that on the table I need your help! This decision will affect the rest of my new and improved bedroom. Are you obsessed with the color and collected feel of look #1? Are you freaking out over the dark and refined moment of look #2? Or is the luminous mixed prints of look #3 sending you over the edge?
Weigh in now so I can get to steppin’ on the rest of my boudoir! I have nothing but time on my hands these days and a stiff drink can only sustain me for so long. Cheers!
Emily here to close this out – I am very excited to see where this MOTO takes us. An all-blush tonal deco/modern mashup? A high-contrast black and white and graphic space? Or a light, bright, white space with pops of saturated and playful color? So many options. What say you???
As always, thank you to Brooklinen for sending us some bedding to play with and for indulging our crazy post ideas – remember, everything is 20% off this weekend (including my favorite duvet insert! I can’t talk this thing up enough!) – and thanks to YOU for joining us here today and for supporting the brands who support this blog. Have a happy and safe weekend. See you on Monday for a new holiday reveal! xx
HI, EVERYONE. Let’s cut to the chase: this is our biggest sale roundup of the year (actually, ever) I’ll be updating this post throughout the weekend (because like…what else is there to do in Delaware???), so come back for updated Small Business Saturday or Cyber Monday offers!
Lest I leave you without a gentle reminder that our literal job is finding the best products, testing them out, and sharing them with y’all, I wanted to link up a few of our favorite roundups – if you’ve ever eyeballed something on the site and mentally filed it away for “later,” now may be the time. You’ve made it this far through a really tough and weird and emotional year, so you deserve a little treat for yourself For easy access, here are some of our favorite…
Dates: Through Sunday, 12/6 Deal: Spend $500 and receive a $100 gift card to spend before 12/31 on Black Friday; 15% off site-wide starting Monday through Cyber Week Code: CYBER15 Our Picks: Graphic Wall Mirror | Em’s Favorite Side Table | Cream Throw Pillow
Dates: Through Saturday, 11/28 Deal: 25% off purchases over $150 Code: CYBERWEEK Our Picks: Spa Bath Sheet Set| Waffle Bed Blanket Caitlin Note: For our favorite bedding picks and reviews, check out this Boll & Branch review.
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 20% off site-wide Our Picks: Lightweight Duvet Insert | Sheet Bundle in Smoke Stripe | Plush Robe Caitlin Note: Come back tomorrow for a design post – Erik tried out a whole bunch of Brooklinen bedding and we’re crowdsourcing which set he should buy.
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: Up to 45% off site-wide Our Picks: Wine Fridges | Touchless Kohler Faucet| Oak Herringbone Flooring Caitlin Note: If you’re doing any reno projects, these are REALLY good deals. Kitchen, bath, appliances – all at the best prices I’ve tracked this year.
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 25% off site-wide, 30% off orders over $3,500 Our Picks: Mountain House Entry Bench | Justina Blakeney Tiger Rug | Kelly Wearstler Statement Lamp Caitlin Note: If I could only pick one furniture/decor retailer to shop from for the rest of my life, this would be it. HIGH PRAISE. Poke around the site if you haven’t already – it’s like the Cheesecake Factory of sites. Infinite choices for everyone!!!
Dates: Through Friday, 11/27 Deal: 30% off site-wide Code: BF30 Our Picks: Textured Ceramic Plates | Glass Jar | Vintage Painting Caitlin Note: Both Em and Jess put those plates on their gift guides! Just saying…
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 10% off site-wide Our Picks: Woven Vase | Lidded Basket | Crossbody Bag Caitlin Note: This is their only sale of the year!
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 30% off site-wide on Black Friday; 30% off site-wide + free gift with purchase on Cyber Monday Our Picks: Mini Lumbar Pillow | Eye Pillow | 20 x 20 Throw Pillow
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 20% off furniture and free shipping over $75 on Black Friday; 20% off site-wide plus free shipping on everything starting Sunday Our Picks: Deco Rattan Chandelier | Match Cloches | Burl Waterfall Table Caitlin Note: They have HANDS DOWN the best curated gift section I’ve seen this year. REALLY well done. Whoever pulled those pages together deserves a raise!!!
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 25% off site-wide Code: THANKFUL Our Picks: Moss Boucle Pillow | Stoneware Pitcher | Architectural Sectional Caitlin Note: We did a review on a ton of their pieces earlier this week, but really loved the pillows and decor in particular. Great gifts!!!
Dates: Through Friday, 11/27 Deal: 15% off site-wide, 20% off orders over $150 Code: BF2020 Our Picks: Heart Snapshot | Ornament Cards | Striped Lampshade Caitlin Note: Because we all know way too much about each other, I know for a fact that Em recently purchased all three of these things.
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 20% off on through the weekend, 20% off orders over $100 on Cyber Monday Our Picks: Large Shallow Lidded Jar | Leather Hoops | Small Tall Lidded Jar Caitlin Note: There’s a restock happening on 11/30!
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 20% off site-wide Code: TOGETHER Our Picks: Indigo Nightstand | Blue & White Rug | Blake Square Coffee Table Caitlin Note: All 3 of these items are in our top 25 best sellers of the year, so y’all REALLY like these.
Dates: Through Sunday, 11/29 Deal: 20% off site-wide Our Picks: The Mint | The Hybrid | Dog Bed Caitlin Note: #notsponsored but y’all, we love these mattresses. A bunch of us have switched over (Erik just got one last week!) and they’re the only brand we’ll recommend in this category. REALLY GREAT.
Deal: 25% off site-wide Code: FESTIVE25 Our Picks: Minimalist Wallet | Mule I Am Obsessed With | Fortune Cookie Necklace Caitlin Note: ABLE is Madewell but with more transparent and ethical manufacturing. I own all these things, they are very cute, and I feel good when I buy from them!!
Deal: 15% off your first purchase when you sign up for the newsletter Our Picks: Palmetto Mini | Passport Bolo Caitlin Note: Ok so this one “technically” isn’t a Black Friday Sale BUT this brand is SO COOL and Black-owned so it had to go on the list. Enjoy!
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: Free Standard U.S Shipping through Cyber Monday + $15 off and international shipping with code: BUYNATIVE Caitlin Note: Ah! Their site was temporarily down so they could restock their site with lots of wonderful goodies before I could pick our “picks”! But go and enjoy!
Dates: Through Tuesday, 12/1 Deal: 40% off site-wide, plus free shipping for orders over $25 Code: FALL40 Our Picks: Nail Polish Trio | Lip Gloss | Liquid Lipstick
Dates: Through Friday, 11/27 Deal: 50% off site-wide, plus an extra 10% off on Friday Code: GAPFRIDAY Our Picks: Relaxed Denim Overalls | Olive Utility Jacket | PJ Top | PJ Bottoms Caitlin Note: Em got the email about this sale and forwarded it to me with a message that read, “woah. My jammies!!!!” (Her exact pair were sold out, but these are the same fabric and in a VERY CUTE PRINT!)
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 60-70% off site-wide, plus an extra 10% off Code: HOLIDAY Our Picks: City Coat | Black Watch Bow Top | Tartan Pant | Wool A-Line Skirt Caitlin Note: This is the best fashion sale this weekend, period. SO many good picks around 25 bucks that look really luxe and expensive.
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: Up to 80% off select items, plus a 16-piece gift with orders over $200 Our Picks: 30% off all PCA Skin | 12-Piece Gift Edit | Body Scrubber Caitlin Note: This is the best skincare site. EVERYTHING on here. They release a gift edit every year and it’s a slam dunk for friends who love new products.
Dates: Through Monday, 11/30 Deal: 25% off fashion, 15% off home and beauty on orders over $100 Code: HOLIDAY Our Picks: Satin Slip Midi Skirt | Theragun | Weighted Bangles Caitlin Note: If anyone bought me a Theragun when I was still training 5x a week for skating, I woulda married them on. the. spot. If you have an athlete/someone who loves the gym in your life…this is THE BEST GIFT.
