Happy Sunday y’all and happy Lunar New Year!! Between some exciting meetings, a couple of photo shoots, and the LA rainstorm (well, that one was just for Caitlin and Jess now) it’s been a week! We hope if any of you experienced any big weather you were all safe. Shall we get to these links??
This week’s house tour was one that Caitlin slacked to all of us on Wednesday saying how much she loved the cool high-low mix in this house. It’s cozy yet elevated and the wood panelling is SO GOOD. Go check it out ASAP!
From Emily: One of my dogs (ahem, BUTTER) chewed up the back of my favorite mules which I still wear and pretend it’s not a disgusting mangled mess (they were from Madewell 2 years ago and they should 1000% sell them again). So I was very pleased when Anthro listed these on their site – with a slight toe peep of course, but super comfy, great airport/flying shoes (easy on/off obviously), and everyday life. Admittedly I was also VERY attracted to/repelled by these and wondering if I should buy these for around the house (a la Crocs, but maybe fresher?)
From Arlyn: I loved this blanket so much I bought it twice. One for me, one for my husband. My Internet friend Deema Lopez recommended it ages ago and I scooped one up when it was on sale. After one use and fighting over it with Charles, I went and bought another one. It’s SO WARM and cozy and cushy and…it’s everything a blanket should be in the winter. Do yourself a favor and get the 60″ x 80″ size so you can wrap your whole body in it like a burrito and still have some left over. Everyone that comes over finds their way under that blanket and they always say the same thing, “Omg this blanket! Where did you get it?” so yeah…you won’t regret it.
Also from Arlyn: I doubt anyone out there really needs *more* people to follow on their Instagram account but just in case you happen to be one of those people itching for new entertainment, I wanted to put @kyledidit’s name in the hat for you. I first found him via Apartment Therapy, who shared his kid’s closet redo. He’s a dad who is self-taught in DIY and he’s a beam of light in my day every day. Hilarious, clever and talented, I love seeing what he’s cooking up next (but honestly, I’d follow him even if he halted all design projects because I’ve come to adore him personally and need no other reason than to check in on him daily.
From Caitlin: EHD GANG, RISE UP! I am about halfway through an incredible new thriller by Tracy Sierra, a reader of this very blog, and it is EXTRAORDINARY – if you love a gripping, satisfying story of survival with a home at the center (secret room and all – and yes, Tracy was inspired by her own old home!), this is a must-read. Who needs exercise when your heart is pumping from reading, you know? Highly recommend checking out Tracy’s interview with NPR’s Fresh Air, too – I have a feeling that this release is going to be a BIG one! (Ridley Scott, of House of Gucci and Napoleon fame, has already optioned the film rights.) Congrats Tracy!!!!!
Also from Caitlin: If you’re on the hunt for a sweet Valentine’s gift idea, might I suggest this bouquet subscription? Dennis, the world’s cutest and nicest boyfriend, got me one for Christmas and I LOVE IT. I’m so impressed by the quality, the variety (he lets me pick – they have cool options, I promise), and the longevity (it’s the only bouquet I’ve ever gotten that looks better after 3 days). It truly is the gift that keeps on giving:)PS. If you also struggle with remembering special events, this could be a life-saver – you can change the recipient every month, so you can send flowers to your partner in February, to a friend in March, to a graduate in April, to a parent in May…the options are endless. Much less stressful than scrambling at the last minute, don’t you think?
One of EHD’s go-to tile companies, Fireclay Tile, is partnering again with the Architects Foundation to raise money for the Diversity Advancement Scholarship for Black women pursuing architecture! Their goal is to raise $50k with half of that coming directly from them. If you are able and would like to here is the link to contribute to that goal!
From Mallory: Is Forever 21 making a comeback??? Last weekend I was walking in Soho (bc I’m a lil NYC girlie now!!) and stumbled upon this dress in the window of Forever 21. I was immediately called to it and was SHOCKED at how cute it is on (the photos really don’t even do it justice on the website). The cut of the dress is so cute and looks way more expensive than the mere $25 it actually is…if you’re in the market for a cute winter-to-spring transition dress this is it!! I wear it with knee-high boots or sneakers and it looks v cute with both. Plus I might dress it up when I go to Palm Springs for my mom’s bday!!
From Gretchen: I’ve been hooked on watching this Instagram account, Track Star, where people on the streets of New York are interviewed and tasked with naming the artist of whatever song the host plays for them. Sometimes there is a theme to the music choices and other times it’s totally random. The contestants answer for money, with the stakes starting at $5, then go double or nothing for each answer they get right. It’s addicting to play along and the guests are typically such a joy to watch. The host, too! Often they’ll have on musicians as guessers and it’s so interesting to hear them reminisce on their musical influences as they answer. Just a really fun watch–but I’m secretly tuning in to practice, in hopes of finagling my way on as a contestant someday.
From Gretchen: Also on Instagram, I think I found a potential solution to a lighting problem I’m having in my bathroom. I recently put up extra-long shower curtains that extend down from the ceiling. I think the look is really fun and dramatic (though I’m not 100% convinced I’ll keep them just yet). My main problem is that with no gap between curtain and ceiling, and no light installed inside the shower, I’m just washing myself in the dark. And I don’t love it. At first, I found and installed these waterproof LED strip lights (the color-changing kind) around the ceiling’s perimeter, but now it just feels like I’m showering in a teenage boy’s gaming room. Not the vibe! (I’m hoping to reuse them to light my deck since they’re waterproof!) But I just came across this battery-operated light, shared by a creator who tried it in a similar situation (I wish I had saved the video!) It looked great in her space, like a real, simple, hardwired light, and I’m convinced it’ll be the right solution for me too!
From Jess: So many moons ago, I talked about getting an ergonomic seat cushion for my “beautiful but not super supportive office chair” chair. Surprise, surprise I didn’t actually purchase one until this week because why would I want to protect my body… plus the padding in my current seat finally said. “I can’t do this anymore Jess.” So I decided to buy the Cushion Lab Pressure Relief Seat Cushion and I was shocked about how much better my back felt immediately! Now, by no means am I a doctor so make sure it’s a good fit for you but with nearly 8k 5-star reviews it seems to be worth looking into. They also come in 24 colors with 2 size options. I chose the black so it can blend in with the black leather on my chair and it has gripping material on the bottom so it doesn’t slide all around. Oh, and it has a removable cover so you can wash it in case of spills:)
Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow! xx
Opening Image Credits: Design by Sara Ruffin Costello | Styled by Velinda Hellen & Erik Kenneth Staalberg | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for “The New Design Rules” | From: This New Orleans Home Has A Secret Passageway That You Have To See To Believe
