We talk a lot about what makes something “dated” or not timeless and today’s post I think is a great conversation starter for that. So I recently stumbled upon an old post that had been WIPED from my brain. I suppose when you write/create over 300 blog posts a year for now 15 years you can’t mentally retain everything (OH SHOOT I FORGET TO CELEBRATE OUR 15 YEAR BLOG ANNIVERSARY!!!!) I showed the team, none of whom were here when we published this post 10 years ago, and we all agreed that some of them are still so fun and worth reposting, with some fresh commentary. This was when I had a photo studio and we spent so much time and money creating non-sponsored original content, like not in a home, just a set strictly for content purposes. We moved away from this, choosing real homes instead (thus all my friends and family makeovers). We also changed gears because these take so much labor (which is money) and money (which is actual money). These days (well, the last 8 years) we try to “create content” in real homes where we can leave everything all styled out, versus spending time and effort on styling out spaces just to unstyle them (feels wasteful) but there are times where I wish I had the time and resources to do, say, one mantel four ways. Anyway, without any further ado please enjoy some Vintage EHD content with 2025 eyes:)
Ok so I rented this credenza, I think from MidCentryLA or Amsterdam Modern – two of my favorite dealers in LA.
“Coastal”
I think my point was to show you how you could bring any vibe or context through styling, not just furniture (the piece of furniture is obviously mid-century Scandinavian). If you’ve been following along for a while (THANK YOU) you know that I actually love every single style (which you can see in my portfolio). It’s honestly way harder than sticking to 1-2. Would I say I’m “coastal”? I mean, technically I am from the Oregon coast, and I CERTAINLY love vintage seascapes, but no, I’m not particularly “coastal” and yet here we are.
I think the only thing that is a tiny bit dated is the Manzanita branch – not that anything is wrong with it but there was certainly an era where we, stylists, used these on EVERY SINGLE BOOKSHELF. I think they are still very appropriate in a coastal setting for sure. Additionally, that lamp is boring, but it’s also kinda fine.
Not sure what I did with that bluge piece of pottery but sure wish I had it now!!!!!!
“Mid-Century”
Ok, probably my favorite. I still have some of these pieces (which I’m both proud of but also, hoarder much??). This vignette was driven by this incredible Stephanie Vovas photo which despite how awesome it is we never could seem to land it anywhere permanently. I think it’s rad, but it’s very specific and intense (and fun fact, I ended up finding out who the actual model was, she was the ex-wife of a friend of a friend and once I found that out it was even weirder to own it).
I’m sad to say that I don’t have that blue pot anymore – WHY??????? Maybe these vintage posts are going to be harder on me emotionally than I thought – not that I need more things, but it does make me miss them (and I have strange nostalgia for the years when I was building the company so relentlessly).
“Glam”
UGH. I love this, too! But I think I’d call this a bit more traditional now. Those paintings are incredible (I have no idea what I did with them but hopefully I sold them for enough). This is also a reminder of how good the thrifting and vintage shopping is in LA – up here it’s just a lot of antique/primitive/country but in LA you get a real variety of styles.
Remember when I collected so. many. heads???? And that blue vase that you see there on the right? Still one of my favorites ever.
Def more regency than “glam” or even “traditional” but I’m still into this look (except for that picture frame – it’s fine, but meh).
“Eclectic”
OH WAIT…. now THIS is my favorite!!!! The art is incredible (I still have the huge piece but I’m devastated to say that I must have sold or gave away the cubist lady painting). The blue lamp I just sold to my brother for his bedroom (the pair with new shades) and the string art is long gone (which I don’t need but I’m still sad to see it and not own it).
One of my favorite pots ever was/is that vessel with the aloe in it – if anyone knows who owns it now let me know (I might vaguely remember it breaking, but I’m not going to let my head go there today). I think the colors in this vignette are just so exciting and fun to look at.
Which One Is Your Favorite?
I think the only thing to do next is vote – like which do you like the most and which vignette do you think holds up the best 12 years later? I would honestly own ALL of this stuff again, which I think is a great sign. What say you??? “eclectic”, “glam/traditional”, “midcentury” or “coastal”???
*Photos by Tessa Neustadt
That blog post was the post of my dreams when I originally read it. Now I’d say…I’d love to see it reimagined for today, using a vignette in your own home (could be a cabinet v mcm sideboard) showing where/why some styling choices have changed for you.
Difficult call. I’d have to pick ecletic. I’ve recevtly been reading the archives, so I just read the old version. Is there an easy way to read the archives? Thanks!
Fun. I agree they are all good! I’m voting glam/traditional because it feels more calm for me more than style wise. Visually/creatively speaking the intense photo lady makes her case quite compellingly! 🙂
Oh, I remember this post!! I used this and the video of a gallery wall with Orlando to guide a gallery wall at my prior home; loved that wall!
I’d choose the glam/traditional now, with a few swaps. Let’s play. Replace the chair with the plant in the stand from the eclectic styling set-up, night-mission the lamp back from your brother (would he notice if you left the swan lamp in it’s place?), slide the tray over to the lamp a bit more, and check around the house for a replacement frame. All in all, 10 years look sooo good on all the options!
I’m torn between eclectic and coastal, but they’re all great!
As a daily follower for the past 15 years, I clearly remember this post. That photo! Still feel the same way: 100% mid century.
Congrats on your longevity and ongoing creative verve that still resonates with me (even though I’m long past the 3 renos you helped get me through h successfully..) BRAVA. 🥂☺️❤️
Eclectic 💯!
I was wondering how all the LA-based staff and contributors are doing with the fires?
arlyn, jess, mal, bowser, and sara are all safely evacuated! i’m lucky to be here in koreatown – we had mile and a half of concrete between us and the closest fire, so i’m staying put. it’s been a crazy time – each of us know numerous folks who lost everything. but we are safe and working to help our friends! thanks for thinking of us :’)
Glad to hear you’re all okay!
eclectic
The first time you posted this I was 100% in on the mid century style. I remember loving it so much and still do, but there’s something about that glam/traditional one I am leaning toward this time around. Maybe the lamp is sending it over the top for me. I also still love a bust in a cloche, so— there ya go! I guess people do change. 🙂 Fun post!
What a fun post! I love these. I think the midcentury one is my favorite and eclectic is my second favorite. All of them are great though!
I think the “mid-century” styling holds up really well, because the focal point is a single large-scale piece of art. I still love gallery walls and groupings of art, but (like the manzanita branch) they do remind me of the 2010s era when they were used everywhere — so the design with a single framed photo feels the most contemporary to me right now!
Mid-Century, today anyway! Literally Elevated Emotion:)
I like them. My favorite is the mid-century with glam second. Funny, because I don’t usually think of either of these styles as mine.
Whoa! The white vase in the “coastal” vignette was from Anthro by happyhut.love.
The coastal and the glams paintings are so gorgeous. I love them so much!! And the credenza of course. Honestly, I like them all. And although the mantanza branch is coastal I think as long as it’s not overdone having one in any home style would be fine!! I do wish you could do this for a piano and a mantel!! Maybe when your props room is ready?? Pretty please?
This is so fun!! I was JUST thinking about this credenza series a few days ago. I can’t believe I’ve been following along for over a decade. Makes me feel OLD. 😆 This was when I realized how fun and full of personality my home could be. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: Emily has been the single biggest influence on my home design style and I’m forever grateful to her for cracking me out of the beige I grew up with. As for my favorite? Mid-Century all the way!! That photo was WILD!
I’d love to see some random styling posts on the blog from time to time! It’s one of the hardest aspects of bringing a room together, and it’s so fun to see how your team of pros does it!
I think they all stood the test of time really well!
PS – I feel like anything from nature, like the manzanita branch, is timeless and transcends trendiness.
Loved this blog post! These small moments of design are so much more approachable! It would be fun to add a section at the end to include “what I would do today …”. You should consider turning this into a series 🙂
I’ve had this on my Pinterest board for all ten years and still refer to that coastal picture when I’m doing gallery walls. I used to read your blog every morning at work at my first interior design job. I had somehow convinced my bosses that it was continuing education. It was fun being young together!
I like the glam / traditional
I loved the trip down memory lane!
I can’t believe I still remember this original post, wild.
I loved these types of posts then, fun to see and think about how my preferences have changed over time (I feel like my favorite was the coastal and now I think I lean toward midcentury with a different large piece of art).
It would be great to see a new version of this within the context of how the team currently works (eg 3 ways to style something at the river house, your house, team house, etc. ).
Thanks again for the trip and for putting out such great quality work for all these years!
Coastal!! ❤️
I respond to the objects distinctly from the art, though I know they were designed in relation to one another. My fave object scapes are Mid-Century Modern, but don’t like the photo, but like everything about the Glam! Scape and art. Surprisingly timeless! A fun,
interesting post!
I enjoy these ‘styled different ways’ posts! Coastal is my fav, followed by Mid-Century (except that giant lady head kinda creeps me out and I would never hang it myself!).
Boring choice perhaps, but my favorite is the midcentury styling – it still feels timeless and classic today.
Since you have a huge thrifting closet/garage/barn – I’d love to see you do more of this kind of post. It’s inspiring and would be fun to see how you use the things yo’ve collected over the years to create vignettes like this.
Me too! Multi-style some mantels! This was a fun throw-back post – honestly, not super dated. I might not have immediately caught on that it was a throw-back if you hadn’t pointed it out.
A tie for me between eclectic and glam (if that makes sense?). This was fun to see and read your current viewpoint on each.
Glad to hear the LA folk are either safely evacuated, or in Caitlin’s case, safely in place.
I remember reading this post like it was yesterday, wow! 10 YEARS! I loved these posts, which is probably why I refer to your 1st book so often. The mid century look is definitely my personal favourite, but they’re all good, still today. I think the glam one is probably the most “dated” as in looks 10 years old, but you could easily swap/remove the frame and it works.
I remember this on the first time around. I bought so many of the pieces to try and copy it.
Loved the round two as well
I remember these kinds of styling posts! It’s a toss up between the mid-century and the eclectic styling overall, but I like the pair of paintings in the glam version the best out of the bunch. I don’t care if it’s dated, I love a sculptural branch in the right setting.
I love styling post like this. It’s gives you inspiration for things you can do at home relatively easily. It would be fun if you could embed pooling in the posts.
I love this post! Can’t decide between the Mid-Century (for vibe and the lovely items) and the Ecclectic (for the gallery wall and palette).
Great trip down memory lane…I remember referring to the original post while first styling my living room credenza (also mid-century and similar in proportions). I have a tv hovering and centered above the credenza (fireplaces aren’t a thing here, it’s a warm country), so could play around only with the sides. The Mid-Century and eclectic (which also skews mid-century with some of the art and pottery) vignettes still look great. The “glam” has aged less well in my opinion but the Fauvist paintings there are to die for! Just goes to show that good design is good design, for many years down the road and favorite objects can almost always be rethought into a new space, which is good practice in general and far less wasteful 🙂 Glad to hear the LA team is safe!
proves good design holds up over time! Even if your personal style changes some. My personal style is the Glam/Traditional – I would leave out the swan lamp. The one photo is so dramatic – coastal feels current – agree with leaving off the branch. I love the mid-century – I’d leave out the string art.
I remember this original post! I’ve been here for so long – ha! I do love posts like this and even more love your commentary years later! Please keep this up!
Very cool post and I love your taste and design. I have your books, and you are the one that still holds up as timeless and each time I look through your books I find more inspiration that I did not fully see the first go round. It’s a very good sign. I’m a professional painter, illustrator and designer and have over the years worked in various genres of art and design and so this post was especially fun to look at and hear your thoughts. I love them all as well. I lean more toward the vignettes that have paintings. I’m not into big photography or just not yet. I do like the theme salon style walls but that could come and go and so I think the midcentury wall with abstracts is my favorite. I was primarily a realist painter my whole life but have been doing numerous abstract works lately and there’s something very dynamic in painting that keeps me pushing it. There are no expectations when painting and the artist is as surprised when they step away from a piece as the viewer. It also just works well with design of spaces. I spent many years… Read more »