Happy Sunday, everyone. I’m sure most of you are on top of it, but don’t forget that Mother’s Day is next week! Otherwise, we hope that everyone is doing ok. Per Caitlin’s beautiful and extremely informative post, you just don’t always know what people are going through. So if you could use some love or a hug, we are sending one virtually to you! Ok, here’s this week’s links…

This week’s house tour is a joyful and colorful renovation! But this time it isn’t for a young family but a wonderful retired couple. Come see what they did!

From Emily: My goodness, I love a scandal, especially when it comes to reality stars or influencers (Remember Scamanda? or did you watch Apple Cider Vinegar??). Last weekend, while doing what feels like endless housework (12-15 hours at least, I swear), I binged the new podcast series, Love Trapped (by the people who produced Betrayal, which is ALSO a riveting series). It’s a true crime scandal about a woman who accuses Clayton Echart (the infamously bad Bachelor who told two women at the final 3 rose ceremony that he had sex with both of them and loved both of them – OOF) of fathering her twin pregnancy, despite not having intercourse on their only date. It’s a 2-year harrowing nightmare that is actually playing out now in real time. This woman goes to such great heights to take him down (and we find out it’s a pattern), and it’s both maddening and fascinating. I don’t want to spoil it, and def listen to it on 1.2 speed (it can be redundant), but it made the weekend chores fly by.

From Jess: I have a new lightweight leave-in moisturizer that I LOVE. It started with me trying ROZ’s shampoo and conditioner – both wonderful, and I’ve already repurchased. Then, when my last leave-in conditioner ran out, I decided to try theirs because my best friend was obsessed with it. We both have fine hair, but it says it’s good for all hair types. It smells great and leaves my hair feeling soft and frizz-less. I’ve been using it for over a month! It can also be used as a refresher on your day two locks.

From Gretchen: My favorite FAST and easy hairstyle to do is with my Conair Triple Barrel waver. I’ve had this bad boy for years now, and it’s so reliable, affordable, and idiot proof. I don’t know about you, but any time I try to curl my hair with a regular curling iron or even my straightener, the results just never come out the way the guy at the mall kiosk convinced me it would. But with this easy crimper, I can ALWAYS count on it to come out the way I intend. It heats up fast and doesn’t require a long hold on your hair to work either. I can do my whole head in 10 minutes or less, and it gives me that exact messy, wavy, textured look I’m going for.

Tiffany Howell and Laura Harrier did a pretty awesome collab with Crate & Barrel, and as you can see, it’s awesome. Six years ago, actress Laura Harrier hired Tiffany Howell to design her home. It was, of course, stunning. They then turned that partnership into this incredible collab. Here are some of our favorite pieces:

Salon Swivel Accent Chair | Biba Wall Sconce Light | Vesper Brass and Grasscloth Storage Media Console

Sonja Chandelier Light | Bianca Accent Chair | Bowery Silver Table Lamp

Arlo Burl Wood & Brass Gloss Lacquer Bar Cabinet | Cinema Vanity | Mystic Chaise Lounge

From Marlee: I just got back from a trip and used this bag the *entire* time. There are a few things I love about it – first, it’s got a lot of space. This was able to carry snacks, a light layer, a camera, a waterbottle, and little treasures that I acquired throughout the day. Oh, and a portable charger, wallet, passport, etc. It’s incredibly cute (I love the gingham), but to me, the best part is how comfy it was to wear. My biggest gripe with cross-body bags is how much the strap can dig into your shoulders – not only is the strap on this thick enough to not dig in, but the actual weight of the bag is distributed in a really good way. I was PACKING this full (with heavy stuff too) and not once did my shoulders hurt. It has a little button snap/cinch in the main compartment, so it doesn’t actually shut completely, but I didn’t find that to be an issue at all. Probably the best bag I’ve traveled with recently! Big fan and looked so cute:)

From Caitlin: I’m doing something insane today: recommending a plastic item. (Who am I?!) ICYMI – I’m selling my childhood home and grabbing a temporary storage unit to hold what I’ve since deemed my “senti-mentos” – Christmas decor, ceramics, art, family photos, and the like – until I’m able to move to a larger space. I’m normally neurotic about only purchasing natural materials, but I also know that the idea of my family heirlooms being damaged by moisture, critters, or any myriad of monstrosities is enough to send me straight into psychosis. To that end, I set out to find the best storage bins on the market. And I found them! (For literally 25% of the cost of what they were selling for at Target, no less!) They’re enormous, Wirecutter-vetted, ultra-sturdy, but the best part is that THEY HAVE WHEELS AND A HANDLE. I got sets in green for Christmas paraphernalia, gray for functional items (like my grandpa’s tools), and blue for all things decor (very EHD of me, I know). I love how much they store (they are WAY bigger than the average plastic tote), and my formerly broken L4 and L5 love that I can just roll them around the basement to my heart’s content. If you’re also looking for your keep-forever bin, I really liked this one!

From Arlyn: We’ve had our living room Sony flat-panel TV for close to a decade, and honestly, it’s still going strong. But we need to shuffle around some screens to bring something down to the guest bedroom, as we’re expecting a handful of friends and family this summer. I’ve never cared that much about the newest in TV tech, but I do like the looks of the ultra-slim, matte, frame-like TVs. Less because they display art and I’m trying to “hide” my television, but more because it takes up less visual space. We took a brief trip to Best Buy last weekend and looked at Samsung’s The Frame Pro (which has a wireless box you can plug all your crap into, or rather, Charles can plug all his crap into), the Canvas TV by Hisense that the sales rep recommended to us, and the TCL Class NXTVISION. We have to mount the TV above the fireplace because there isn’t another spot for it in our new living room, but we were told the picture quality on those is awful if not viewed straight on. Plus, they all come with their own proprietary slim mounts, and we’d prefer a tilt mount that high up. Does anyone here have any experience with a similar setup and can give me their opinion of what worked out for them? Please, and thank you!

From Mallory: I love the look of a woven flat (and love that they can be so comfortable and breathable), but they’re not always super durable – I had some last summer that my little toesies broke through and I had to get rid of. So when I found these with a double lining (but they are still super lightweight and airy), I knew they were the pair for me! And bonus points, they are super cushiony and are easy to slip on and off (so no, you don’t have to use the buckle, which is a huge win). They come in a ton of colors, but I got them in red. Could not recommend them more!

Thanks for being here today and y’all tomorrow! xx

Opening Image Credits: Design by Caitlin Higgins | Styled by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Caitlin’s First MOTO Reveal – A Vintage Bathroom Gets A Modern Update