Happy Sunday and HAPPY PRIDE MONTH, everyone!! The warm weather is feeling like it’s sticking around (watch it, June Gloom), we get to pay extra thanks and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, and our design projects are picking up steam. All in all, we want to lift up and focus on all the good that’s around because it’s incredibly important. Ok, now time for the links!

This week’s house tour is colorful and bold, but in a traditional, ornate style. The ceiling in the living room is so stunning, and the home overall is full of inspiration (even if you aren’t as daring in your home style:))

From Emily: Hey Portland folks!! Justin Willman is coming to town, and you have to go (with or without kids). One of the best joys of parenting is going to shared experiences together when everyone is equally into whatever it is. Enter Justin Willman, our family’s “magician” of choice, who somehow isn’t a HUGE household name yet. We binged his show, Magic for Humans, during lockdown, then did a Zoom show with him, and then last year, when he came to Portland (in advance of his Netflix special, which you ALSO need to watch), we took the kids, and it was one of the best nights as a family, like ever. Now he’s not a kid magician (don’t bring your toddlers), but for the 8+ crew and obviously grownups, he’s just so entertaining and fresh, while having a levity and poignancy about what he does. He’s coming for two nights in Portland when we are out of town, and the kids (and Brian and I) are so bummed to miss the new show that we might actually fly to Phoenix to see him. That’s how much I can recommend his live show. Trust me, it’s worth every penny in entertainment and just general bonding with whoever you go with. 10/10 experience.

Also From Emily: For any of you restoring or renovating an older home, The Grit And Polish (shout out to Cathy and Garret) re-did their site (ours is still in the works, I promise!) to make it so easy to find their really robust and helpful posts. You should definitely follow them on social, but their blog is a reminder of how helpful long-form design content can be (I’m obviously biased).

From Arlyn: I was going to point to something that is a super big deal for me this week, but keep scrolling, and you’ll see my buddies here already took the lead (spoiler: I WROTE A BOOK. Pre-order it NOW!) But okay, not that much can come close to recommending the design book I’ve been working on with my now-friend Fariha Nasir for the last THREE YEARS, but I did buy a new cute rug that I’m recommending this week. As I finally have a proper little foyer that’s not covered in shoes and bags and keys—bless the garage vestibule/mudroom—I’m working on sprucing up the space. While I wanted a vintage rug, I also worried about putting anything overly precious there, since the sun absolutely beats down the front of our home every afternoon, and I was afraid of sun damage. I stumbled upon this super sweet and super affordable 3’x5′ about two weeks ago and fell in love with the wavy border and the simple colorblocked floral print. It’s a new design from Rifle Paper Co.’s collection for Loloi. I’m impressed that it’s a 100% wool, hand-tufted design, thick and sturdy for about $120 at that size. I got the plum color, but was tempted by the other three colorways, for sure.

In case you don’t know Fariha Nasir, she is an unbelievably talented designer and DIY expert. We’ve been long-time fans, and when we heard that OUR ARLYN was going to be co-writing her first DIY design book with her, Home, Improved, let’s just say we were THRILLED. And since some of us have been talking with Arlyn throughout this whole process, we can also say that Fariha is as kind and wonderful as she is talented…VERY. She really makes designing and DIY projects so approachable, and if you know Arlyn’s writing, you know it’s going to be warm, easy to understand, and fun! We couldn’t be more excited to get this book in our hands come this September. We also know the importance of pre-orders, so do yourself, Fariha, and Arlyn a favor and just order now🙂

From Mallory: I wanted to recommend a tried and true product I’ve had for over 5 years now: my CB2 scrunch lamps. I originally had them in my studio apartment, but I’ve brought them with me from house to house, and they always add so much personality to a room. The scale of them is awesome, I love the pleated shade, and the pattern is so fun but goes well with almost everything. If you’re looking for a solid lamp, there’s a reason CB2 has kept them in stock for so long! They are GREAT.

From Caitlin: Parents of teens: I have a great book rec for you! Back in 2007, in the midst of another Ebola outbreak, my mom gave me her copy of The Hot Zone. It was graphic, terrifying, and absolutely riveting – it totally transformed the way I looked at science. I was flunking out of high school at the time (losing both my grandparents did a number on me!), but it inspired and fascinated me so much that I ended up with the highest science grades in my year. It might be a transformative read for your kids, too! (Or even for yourself – it’s still a page turner, all these years later.)

From Marlee: So a few months ago, our photographer Kaitlin passed along a bottle of this Necessaire lotion in the scent “hinoki” to me because she wasn’t super into the smell – now it’s definitely strong and leans a little bit soapy, but once it settles into your skin, I didn’t mind the scent so much. It wasn’t my fave smell, but the feeling of the lotion was SO GOOD that I didn’t care. Fast forward to a couple of months later, I was meeting my friend for dinner and was in awe of how good she smelled. After asking her what perfume she was wearing, I was so surprised when she said, “none, it’s just my Necessaire Eucalyptus lotion.” The smell was so good, I had to get it for myself. It’s a splurge, but this isn’t an everyday lotion – it’s the type that you use only a couple of times a week because it feels like such a treat. The scent on this one is definitely also strong at first, but once it’s on your skin, it smells soooo amazing – it makes you smell so clean and fresh. I also feel like it soaks into your skin so nicely and doesn’t make you feel greasy at all. This will definitely be in my rotation for a long time:)

From Gretchen: I love going to live music with friends, but so often we find ourselves migrating right up to the stage (and the speakers) to dance. It is SO much fun but can obviously be SO loud. Normal earplugs work decently enough, but I recently upgraded to Loop Earplugs after a friend’s recommendation, and they are so much better. They fit in your ear so nicely and come with a variety of plug insert sizes to get your perfect fit. But I really love that the little ring that sits in your ear looks chrome, so the whole thing feels more like jewelry and less like neon sporting equipment. They come with a nice little carrying case and are coming with me to all future shows!

From Jess: The way my jaw dropped when I saw the new Reformation collab with Cournety Grow. Now, this was my first time hearing of Courtney, but when I went to her Instagram account, 48 of the people I follow, follow her! I know that this collab won’t be for everyone, but look at these shoes, this windbreaker (VERY on trend), this dress, and more. I would take the whole collection in a heartbeat.

Also From Jess: After this post was already scheduled, we had 1 hour until the end of our half-day summer Friday (thank you, Em!) I saw THIS COLLAB pop up on my feed…Left On Friday Swim and Clare V.!!!! We all love Clare V. and I have been a big Left On Friday fan since getting my first swimsuit from them this year. Their suits are made to be more active, so they aren’t teeny bikinis that only one butt cheek can fit in. Anyway, this whole collab is SO cute, so if you are in need of a new suit or some great accessories, I suggest taking a peek:) Big week in fashion collabs!

We really appreciate you spending part of your day with us, and we’ll see you tomorrow!

Opening Image Credits: Photo via Farhia Nasir