Happy New Year, all. 2018 is DONE and boy was it a big, great year full of so. many. lessons. Working in digital media means that I wake up on a daily basis, shove my hand into a pot of pasta and throw it at the wall, excited to see what will stick. It’s actually really exciting, but also a lot to clean up all the time.
This past year, we tried throwing a new type of pasta on the wall, otherwise known as “content strategy.” We did two big design projects/renovations that we dissected into process-heavy content, but…we found that you guys, despite how thorough and full of solid information the posts were, weren’t as into them as I had predicted. It just didn’t stick and that’s okay. The engagement was high, and at first the “I Design, You Decide” garnered a ton of excitement. My hope with the process posts was that you’d get a solid peek into how and why designers make the choices we do, so that you can be inspired and empowered to make them yourself. I get that renovation-heavy posts are much more niche than say, a pillow combo roundup, but when those design-heavy posts take weeks of work and get immediately squashed by a random roundup, it’s a wakeup call (please remember that this is a business, not just my hobby, so traffic matters, but it’s definitely not the only thing that matters).
Let me be clear, we’re proud to produce those pieces and I feel confident that over time, many of you will find them incredibly useful (they’ll live forever in the Rooms section) when you are, say, doing a window plan in your major renovations, but, many of you said that we were actually showing too much of how the sausage is made. TOO. MUCH. PROCESS?? I would have thought that was impossible. Any blog, Instagram or Pinterest account can show beautiful reveals, hence we thought that one of the things that makes this place a destination is the process and my transparency about mistakes, but the numbers tell a different story. We learned some things about what you do and do not want. BUT WE NEED TO KNOW MORE…
At the same time though, one of the top posts of the year in 2018 was about a haircut. A HAIRCUT. We thought that post, in particular, could just be a fun thing to do for the team, hoping you guys would be moderately into it. Oh, and you were. That post stuck to the wall. To the tune of being top 3 for the year. We had no idea this would happen, which makes us think maybe we don’t know exactly what you want. We can’t keep getting haircuts (but I jokingly looked around the office and said “who wants to get their eyebrows micro-bladed in 2019???” knowing that I would DEFINITELY read/watch that post).
So we need more help for us to figure out what content you want, need, crave this year. Already, our plans are to focus more on styling, using a combination of budget and high-end pieces, more flea market and thrifted posts (YAY!!) and to bring back some older series that I miss (Craigslist) as well as well curated house tours.
But I have more questions…
Why did the Portland reveals lose momentum? Is it because it wasn’t my house? Was it too high end? Were there not enough lessons or mistakes to make the posts interesting? Or was it just too much and you are ready to see inside a new project??
Let’s pretend we’re in a confessional booth…spill the beans (regarding content, no need to tell me you hate the kitchen color, etc). Tell us your innermost thoughts. What do you like? What do you not like? There will be no offense here (plus, we’re sweetening the pot a little to anyone who chooses to help us out):
We put together a survey that we would love every single one of you to fill out (though we know that won’t happen, and we get it). But what I will say is this survey will be instrumental in helping us put together a content strategy for the year. It’ll be integral to letting us get a peek into all of your brains and your deepest blog desires. It’s like a yearly performance review where you guys are the boss. And just like in a work environment, everyone needs a little incentive, right? We’re giving away THREE limited-edition art pieces from my collaboration with Jane Denton I did back in 2016 at random to anyone who completes the survey and inputs their email address at the end (we gotta know how to find you but of course will not do anything weird or annoying with your email).
I actually kinda forgot about these pieces so when my team mentioned that we had some left over, we thought it was the perfect giveaway. Look, here it is styled in Brady’s living room.
Don’t you want this pretty lady? It comes framed (by Framebridge), is 18″x18″ and retails for $225. All you have to do is fill out our teenie tiny survey (it’s not teenie, but thought it might be more enticing if we pretended it was?).
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE OUR READER SURVEY & ENTER TO WIN
Again, if you’re a regular reader and invested in the content we create on a daily basis, filling out the above survey is like basically asking for exactly what you want (and not want) to read. We promise to eagerly go through all the results, discuss internally and make immediate shifts to our strategy. As much as we want to write about whatever we want to write about, we also want to make the things YOU want to come here for every single day.
As for what’s happening with the other big project from last year (the mountain house), the good news is that I am not waiting for a print publication to reveal it because that would likely hold it up for 9 months (I would need to have the entire house finished before we shot it and you have to shoot 3 months in advance of when the issue comes out, etc.) I put myself in your shoes and I realized how bummed I would be to wait for so long. So instead, you’ll get the rooms as they are done, starting most likely with the kitchen…OF WHICH I AM OBSESSED.
If you aren’t into the survey, you can always comment—in fact, please do both. What do you want? What do you miss? Do you want us to get team eye-liner tattoos? Do you want me to try my hand at a new build? (not a chance?) Do you want sneak peeks of the mountain house or just big shocking reveals??
We wish we could sit at a big giant table with all of you and have a face-to-face discussion about your thoughts and desires, but obviously, an internet survey is the next best thing. We are starting out the year on a team retreat up at the mountain house to brainstorm and plan content for the year on every platform. The whole EHD team is headed up to join me tomorrow so the more we hear from you the better (and thank you so much for weighing in).
Happy New Year, and here’s to what we know is going to be an amazing, exciting and just plain fun year. xx
I generally find your content the most interesting interior design stuff on the net. I love your voice and tone and that you feel like a real person.
I think part of the issue of the larger content – eg mountain house is that the posts can start to feel a bit too similar. Understandbly you want each house to be cohesive, but I think this lessons the overall variety and creativity of the posts. If you were doing more, smaller projects, there is more scope for different themes, ideas. I think more variety and risk taking, just naturally would peak my interest more.
I also like your round ups for different interior design materials – eg wallpaper, affordable art, etc and always find myself going back to these over time when I need them.
This is a great point – I think large renovations might need to be broken into categories of rooms, instead of individually i.e. didn’t love an entire post on the Portland House powder bath. Could have been all rolled into: style and design for Portland bathrooms
I feel the same way about the larger content lately. It feels like it’s so much and that makes me feel way less invested in each makeover
I think you might have accidentally liked to the results document and not to the survey? I get a message that I don’t have access anyway… I’m bummed that the renovation posts did not work! Personally I loved them, though I probably did not spend nearly as much time reading them as you did to create them. Or should I say, i get that the shopping roundups have a better ROI. I find the Portland house so inspirational! I’m sure I’ll come back to those if I ever have to renovate a bathroom for example. The reveals are great, I especially like the bathroom/kitchen ones where where I can get inspiration for creative tiles/colors etc. I also always appreciate the playful tone of voice. I’m not crazy about the “entertaining” posts. Even if you always have a ironic tone (that I appreciate!) they still make me feel a bit like your life is just… out of reach for me. And probably most people. The wardrobe posts are okay, I like them as a mix and like your style, but please don’t make this too much like a lifestyle blog! I come for the beautiful designs, not because I want to… Read more »
+1
Though I’m more strongly against the fashion and lifestyle posts. I could not have cared less about team ehd haircuts (though yall look great) m.
I love love love the renovation, how to, reveals and roundups. I never can have too many of those and that’s why I read the blog. I discover so many vendors that way too and learn so much. Appreciate when you include budget vendors and vintage finds as well as high end, because it’s more attainable for me!
Agree with Ylva’s ideas for smaller styling posts. Those sound great.
Thank you and long forward to 2019!
Same. I don’t think I even read the hair cut posts, and regularly skip the fashion round ups. Not interesting to me. –Clearly puts us in the minority!
Emily, just to let you know that when I clink the survey link, I’m getting a Google message that I need permission to access the page…?
Same.
Same here.
should all be fixed now!
I just tried to fill it out…instead of a “Submit” button at the bottom, there’s a “Get link” button and nothing seems to happen when I hit it, so I’m not sure if my responses came through or not 🙂
same
I want to take the survey but don’t want to sign into google docs. I am not very computer savvy so not sure if I am suppose to do that to take it.
I’m going to fill out the survey, but two comments while I’m
standing waiting for the train:
1)I love the process posts. And I would suggest that the audience who loves them might be more hardcore than other audiences and therefore more likely to buy products from your sponsors. I assume you’ve looked at link clicks and actual purchases for affiliate links that allow it, but that would be interesting data.
2) I loved the Portland house, but there are a couple things that tempered my excitement about posts. First it took so long to get any reveals, and there were so many sneak peeks (the biggest one being the real estate listing) that by the time reveal posts came, I’d already seen most of it or stopped caring. I still read them and enjoyed the details but they were very anticlimactic. Second the House was similar in style throughout, as it should be for a flip. So after a couple of rooms, it wasn’t very exciting anymore even though it was all beautiful. I’d love to see more flips but maybe small ones where the timeline is shorter and the style risks are bigger.
Thanks!
Emily really sums up how I felt about the Portland house–it felt like a flip, though it was the most beautiful, special flip I have ever seen. I just couldn’t get excited about it when the choices were made based on selling the house (though I should have been MOST excited to see how the value broke down). Same feeling about the style–the house was beautiful, but not my style. Seeing room after room after room of a lovely house but not having anything you’d translate to your own home was just not thrilling for me. The smaller projects feel more diverse in style and incorporate a bigger variety of ideas a reader could use. Finally, the mind boggling amount of money spent in the Portland house just turned me off (personally). Unless I win the lottery, I won’t be spending that kind of money to do anything in my home. I know all the content isn’t going to be accessible to everyone, but at a certain point if you have that kind of money, you’re hiring the designer to do that level of work so you don’t have to. If I ever did have that kind of money, I’d… Read more »
I agree about the Portland house. There were so many sneak peeks that were more engaging than the actual reveal posts. And I don’t mean to sound dismissive of all the hard work put into them! I just got a lot out of the Instagram stories/stalking the open house/listing photos, and didn’t have to wait as long for those.
Is a complete house tour coming? I think more content about it could still be interesting, but I honestly got bored with the room-by-room reveals -maybe because I cheated and looked at the rooms already. Also, I have a bad memory, and was like “wait there’s another bathroom?” The time lapse between posts meant a lot of backtracking, and it got tiresome. It’s such an amazing transformation and I realllllly want to be captivated by it and drawn in! I’m surprised by my waning interest, but I think the room-by-room thing got repetitive, and needed a complete tour to tie it all together.
I agree with all of the above. It was so, so lovely, the Portland house, but I could have done with 50% of the content about it. It was interesting to learn about the scale of such a project, but since it wasn’t anyone’s HOME, it felt impersonal, and honestly, a bit boring because of that! Too many sneak peeks and reveals meant by the end of it, I was over it. I WOULD, however, love a walking video tour of the space so I could feel like I was a higher end real estate customer. 🙂 Photos are great, but so few of us get to experience large, professionally designed spaces like that – I think your followers would eat that up.
Agree with this SO much!
I feel the exact same.
Me too. And yes, a video tour would be fun. Hopefully you did one while you were there…or maybe I missed it. I did enjoy the Instories peeks.
I agree. Posts of the reveals took too long and I felt like I had seen it already with the sneek peeks. I think I didn’t even read the reveal posts.
I feel like the same thing is happening with the mountain fixer upper. At first it was exciting and now I feel like it has been years and there are still not anything finished for us to see. And I understand, of course it takes a long time to renovate such big house, but as a blog content I feel like the waiting time is way too long to really engage the readers.
That said, I really love this blog and you, Emily. I hope these comments will help you to improve your work in the future.
I also felt confused by it being sold already but still getting revealed to us, especially the Christmas post. When was that done? I thought it was sold already–that’s what was going on in my mind as I saw the new posts come up after the sale. I could adjust, but it felt awkward in my brain the whole time.
SAME.
Just reiterating what was already said — for me, as soon as the listing went live, I *devoured* every beautiful image of the Portland house MULTIPLE times… then I was done. The reveals then kept coming out and I was like “Oh, I’ve seen all this already!” And I thought it was funny when the tone of the post was always excited, like there was something brand new being revealed, when in reality we had all seen the content *months* ago. It was STUNNING, but definitely impersonal and way out of most readers’ league, design-wise.
On the flip-side, the mountain house is YOURS, and that means you designed it to live in and enjoy — not sell. I think you’ll see a whole new level of engagement with that one, compared to the Portland house. 🙂
I agree with the comments here about it being beautiful and inspiring but the posts being anticlimactic and redundant.
Same!
Completely agree!
Yes, this exactly!
I appreciate styling or renovating posts that are one or two rooms at a time, and all the decisions and process that entails. After all, I believe that most of your readers live in the place they would love to decorate/renovate. The luxury of renovating a place that is not your primary residence can be interesting too, like with Young House Love’s beach house renovations.
Also, I know it’s so last year, but yours and Brian’s dollhouse video still makes me laugh! So fun!
Your current projects feel way too high end to be relatable. I saved for years to be able to afford a 8K remodel of my bathroom — this isn’t a criticism of your life, but it’s just not helpful to see you remodel on such a large budget. I could never afford anything like that! I think pillow round ups resonate because I can actually afford them and do it in my own house.
Same
Same
Agreed! Everything you design now is sophisticated and gorgeous, but not relatable or achievable for most people. Ive been a reader for years and I will always love you, but I would enjoy more content that is similar to things I can actually do in my own home. Part of OG Emily, in my opinion, was making it work with limited funds, and your rooms were always fun, a little funky, and inspiring! Now your rooms are refined, “fancy”, and just eye candy (but really amazing eye candy). My favorite post of all time was Sylvia’s living room makeover- it was vibrant, comfy-looking, and looked like a place I would want to live. ♥️
I’m with you, I like Emily’s colorful, vibrant, funky decorating style, the one I fell In love with when she was on TV, the way she builds off of her customers and their lives and their homes and not only elevates their living quarters, but amplifies and celebrates their personalities. I’m not as impressed by sophisticated yet vapid makeovers of investment properties, which anyone could do. The projects where EHD shines are those that highlight her own vivacious personality and those of her clients.
YES to all of this!
Same!
Totally agree about wanting to see projects with more limited budgets. I find that many of the bloggers I loved years ago have now made a ton of money and do these crazy high end projects that seem normal to them. I’m glad they’ve made big money, but they need to remember that their readers didn’t!
I’ll chime in and say I didn’t think the Portland house was too high end… I LOVED it. I’m not saying I went out and bought all of the items, but I loved the sophisticated style that was used throughout. I am curious whether people think it’s too high end because (1) the style is too sophisticated and it doesn’t interest them/wouldn’t work in their own home, or (2) it’s too high end as in they can’t afford the exact pieces? My issue with the blog is that I like a sophisticated style and you barely ever see that on blogs. A lot of the makeovers trend toward family-friendly laid back casual or like 20-something hip apartments. I’m not saying everything in my house costs a fortune, but I’m an adult and I don’t have kids and I think my house looks pretty classy – that’s how I want it to look. For example, I am designing my dining room and I found Portland to be a great inspiration for that. Most of the other dining rooms on the page are casual eating nooks/eat in kitchens etc. I also revisit Ginny’s apartment a lot for inspo. It wasn’t expensive stuff… Read more »
I just wanted to chime in and say that I was turned off by how unattainable and affordable projects like the Portland house are. I love them in terms of style, process, etc. but its frustrating when I can’t go out and replicate something that Emily does because its “too high end”. I loved the Christmas reveal from the Portland house because it was all from Target and I could go out and buy those things myself!
I loved it too. And I want to see a mix. I like Ginny’s, Brady’s, other team members, the readers pics were fun., etc. Different styles and price points.
SAME. I love to admire Emily’s gorgeous work but it doesn’t connect with me personally when I just bought a new Ikea bathroom vanity and it felt like a big deal. Some of my favourite posts are those with Target products. (Though I’m in Canada so it’s hard to get my hands on Target goodies. Boo.)
Same
Haha, amen!!! More regular people’s houses makeovers involving regular home owners and a laughably small budget and like you said, more pillow roundups, that would make me smile in 2019.
Same. I don’t have your bank budget or freebies so it gets kind of boring after a while. I like the target styling since I see those in the stores.
I agree with this so much. I understand that brand partnerships are vital to keep the company alive, but it’s just a bit grating to see so much promotion of all this expensive stuff, when you’re getting it for free. It just feels a bit…distasteful. Especially when it was for a flip property? +1 to having to save for years and years for an 8k kitchen reno, and it being a big deal. It’s depressing to only come on and see stuff that is £££££. Some posts on how to create a high end look with low cost items would be great!
Agreed! Great feedback Liz.
I work in tech, live in the midwest, and am single, so I have a decent amount of disposable income (and very grateful for that fact). But even in my situation, the Portland house and many of the other posts this year, featured items and materials that were out of my spending comfort zone. I’d love to see a better mix of high and low, and not just affordable items from big retailers. Go to a thrift store or estate sale. Walk us through the process of finding diamonds in the rough. Show us how you spot a gem amongst clutter! I love finding vintage items at online auctions, thrift stores, and yard sales, but its not natural/intuitive for everyone and that’s a huge part of your design aesthetic (glad to hear you’ll be returning to that) that people want to be able to recreate.
Thanks for your work, for always wanting to improve, for being transparent as possible. You’re doing a great job!
While I understand where you and the other posters are coming from (I couldn’t even afford an 8k bathroom reno), THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS. Everywhere, print and online content is being cheapened and dumbed-down…initially, in the 90’s, this was a great thing…making design attainable to the masses. Now it has gone so far as to almost have nothing aspirational left. The options are disappearing. To those complaining about some posts being not shoppable for them–REALLY? EHD gives us loads of Target posts, and loads of other big box item suggestions. No thanks to making every single post like that.
EHD—thank you so much for not being like the majority of blogs out there! Please don’t cave!
Everyone else, join oldhousebeautiful #therevolution on the gram and let’s appreciate good design and keep it alive.
I agree! I’m bummed out by all the negative Nancy’s complaining about Portland or the Mountain Fixer being too expensive. I love seeing the higher end stuff! No one else is giving us the deets on high end design! Amber Interiors doesn’t even share the source for a friggin lamp. EHD is going above and beyond to help us learn how to design more expensive spaces so that if you ever can afford to renovate, you have some actual legit guidance. Go cheaper with your materials if you must, but the lessons are solid.
Now, I will say I’m completely on board with the comments saying the reveals are stretched WAY too far out. I don’t even click on the posts anymore. It’s over and done, I can’t believe posts are still coming out about that house.
I also love the gorgeous and inspirational high-end content, personally! But it does feel lately like most of your sources are either 1) extremely high-end or 2) extremely cheap (target). Maybe some more mid-range sources would help the balance?
I agree! I love that Emily shares the details on the high-end design! I would just like more of a mix on budget-friendly posts with the high-end posts.
And I really could care less that the Portland house is over and done–it’s still great content. I just didn’t like the reveals being stretched out so far. It was too hard to keep it all straight and stay interested.
Thank you, Emily, for a truly great blog. I love your original voice!
I don’t mind the cost either. If the posts are well-written and well-photographed, and the full narrative is well-structured over time, I don’t care if I can’t buy most of the stuff. BTW, I bought an Interior Define chaise because of you guys:).
I agree! Sometimes you need to shoot for the moon and land among the stars! I doubt I will EVER be able to afford even one piece used in the Portland house, but I am definitely inspired by it. In response to commenters asking for content that shows how to find diamonds in the rough I say: you need to know what a diamond looks like to be able to find one. How can you recognize art in a thrift shop if you never look at art any other time because it’s too unattainable? I love DIY and furniture flips, but there are plenty of sources for that, and sometimes DIY’ers loose sight of what makes something good and look high end.
I agree!!! I love the beautiful high end design content and find it inspiring. I do not have a big budget but you can get DIY inspiration from the Portland project. Shop thrift stores and get creative to replicate a room you love. I think inspiration is so much more valuable than a roundup of affordable things.
I am on this boat for this comment.
Hi Emily, I LOVE the Portland and Mountain House renovation projects and all posts on these topics! I usually skip anything lifestyle related. I come here for interior design stuff. Perhaps, the posts about the renovations are too detailed and long? People have a short attention span and prefer looking at pretty pictures with brief captions rather than a long in-depth analysis about which window frame is best? I love that kind of stuff but I can understand it’s not everyone’s cuppa tea. Perhaps also, one of the issues is that there tends to be long gaps between renovation posts followed by a sudden flurry. Maybe a steady drip-drip would be better? For example, it was great to see your decision making about the fireplace and wood ceiling but then there’s nothing for ages. Suddenly there’s a post about bathrooms and kitchens … Also – maybe – a roundup post of “where we are now” on everything with photos rather than some grand massive reveal at the end would help? When there’s radio silence I wonder if the project has been abandoned or on hold for some reason. So in summary – more frequent and shorter posts on the renovations… Read more »
I agree with ALL of this.
YES YES YES…I really think Bea was reading my mind when she submitted her post!!! I love the idea of more pics with short captions. I really think the previous post sums up what most of us are thinking.
I agree with this. The Portland and Mountain house are reasons I keep coming back. The posts are a little long winded which I don’t mind but the average person might. Also you kind of explain everything in those posts as to why you did things the way you did so there isn’t a lot of reader engagement to be had. You explore all of the options most people would have thought of in the post itself. So I think even if people read it all there isn’t a lot of comments because of how detailed the posts are. In other words I’m not sure engagement is an accurate reflection of how much people like the post every single time.
People tend to engage when there is an open ended question and or a strong opinion.
I also felt a bit of these frustrations with the posts about the Mountain house as well- It almost felt like I had missed a post (even though I’m a daily reader) because all of a sudden there would be a new post that picks up where we left off.. which was months ago, even though the post gave me the impression you had talked about this just yesterday. It was hard to keep up with what I had read, hadn’t read, and where you were in the design process of each room.
yep
Same. My favorite content is the design and loved both house projects. But sometimes it felt like too much to keep track of. I only have so much time to look at social media and I don’t want to have to think during my quick breaks. Maybe that’s why it’s easy and interesting to skim about a haircut even though I’m more interested in room reveals. I would lose track of the renovations and have to think too much about changes etc. in the process. Thus I found myself skimming more and clicking through pictures. Especially after the pics are available to sale the house.
Spot on.
I agree with this too! More frequent smaller updates with photos and “where you are now” would be great. Maybe with a section on -major decisions you’re making – minor decisions – design convepts you’re thinking of already. Also please do the full financial breakdown for the Portland house! Maybe in a series of days in a row as it seems like it could be a ginormous post. I must be an EHD nerd bc I love all of your content — lifestyle, reveals, mothering, travel, finance, staff. But both houses felt like overloaded pre-programming meaning you talked so much about them for “content” that it made me think that’s the *only* reason you did those projects (obvi I know it’s not, but just a reflection of how much you talked about them as content creation as part of your *actual* content). Though just to be clear: I LOVE the process posts and even want more of them. Ie what working with a contractor on each piece is like, how you coordinate everything, what percentage of the projects is design oriented, Contractor controlled, and finally the fun decorating part. For the mountain house I’d love to see little pieces first:… Read more »
These are really excellent ideas IMO.
I really like this post. Especially the suggestion of breaking up the reveals into smaller posts. I think my problem, for lack of a better word, with the Portland and Mountain House reveals was how random it felt. I felt like I lost the continuity of the project. And I read your site for the decorating and design. If there is a post about Hair, I am sure that I would skim thru it. But I like seeing people’s spaces and how they live in them. So a post about how you decorate for Christmas is awesome. I like the entertaining posts because it shows how you are using your house. Same with the personal/parenting posts. And I really like the Flea Market Finds posts. And I cheered your Obama posts Things that I tend to skip seem to be the more popular posts. I will skim a Roundup post because a group of objects with no context doesn’t appeal to me. As I am typing this, I have realized that my preference really boils down to: Design with a Story, or a Good Story with Design. I have added way more than I expected. Let me add just one… Read more »
Hey Emily! We don’t have access to the survey.
But what I can say is I LOVE the blog. My favorite things are obv the big reveals – duh. Design type posts are always the best because those are what will inspire me to bring new ideas to my home.
My home though – is a rental. Owning a house isn’t in the cards for me right now, renovating a house is also just not on the table. These types of posts I really just glance over or don’t bother reading. I also feel that they can be so high end that I’m just like “lol nope”. Love everything else so much though!
Really enjoy your blog for the most part. I’m also a renter, and found myself glossing over the major reno posts. Especially the multiple bathrooms. How many bathrooms can 2 houses possibly have?
survey isn’t allowing access. Would love to take it.
try now!
Hey! The survey link doesn’t allow us access. I’ll check back later today and try again. I love and appreciate all the work I know you guys are putting into content so in case, I can’t access the survey later, here are my quick thoughts: I prefer the design posts over fashion/hair etc (although I read them all) but that is just personal preference. I struggle with the round-ups a little because it’s less your thoughts/design process and more links to shopping but I know other people love them so I just skip over those days. I love all the mountain house stuff and am so excited for reveals and so so grateful you are not going to make us wait! I have to admit to skimming the Portland house reveals, I think because I love seeing your process/planning/idea phase – floorplans and installs and all that. I understand that the Portland project had to happen on a timeline with a larger group of people making decisions but it felt a lot less personal for me, I guess. The house was gorgeous, I just wasn’t invested the way I was with all your previous house renos. Not so quick after… Read more »
While I loved the Portland house as, ahem “design porn”, there wasn’t much there that I could directly apply to my own home beyond the general inspiration that comes from admiring beautiful spaces. I really liked the quick makeover you did for that single mother and also some of the roundups because those posts seemed more directly applicable to my home and much more modest budget. Not to say you shouldn’t show the big, splashy projects – they are wonderful eye candy – but I can understand why folks may not be as engaged with them as they would be more modest projects. I mean, most people can afford a haircut.
One idea for a post – show how you would renovate a space at several different budget points. Example – if your budget is $1,000 you would do XYZ to a kitchen and if your budget is $50,000 you would splurge on these items, etc. Just a thought.
And I also can’t access the survey 🙂
+1 on the redesigns with budget alternatives. Like when you pick the most beautiful subway tile, could you use regular subway tile and get close?
Yes! Going with the subway tile example – Sometimes when I read an entire post about how you picked the perfect tile and then find out its way out of my price range it makes me feel like any other tile is inadequate. I would love it if you could post about alternatives that look similar, give the same vibe, but are adaptable to other budgets, even if you end up using the most expensive one for your project.
YES! THIS! More budget-friendly alternatives to the high-end choices would be great.
YES, Please.
AGREE
Yes!!
Agree! His is how I would renovate with $500, $2k, $10k, $20k, etc.
+1 to this! I know you’ve done this option in the past of something along the lines of “living room 4 ways depending on your budget” which I think really resonated with readers because you can get a similar design even if you don’t have a huge budget. I would love to see cheaper options that would be similar to the super expensive options.
YES! I really miss “The Look for Less”!
I love renovation posts but imho you had too much going at the same time. For most impact it would have been better to first finish one house and then the other. I also think that between single reveal posts was too much time so the whole thing lost momentum. Anyway, I still visit the EHD site daily, even when hairstyle posts are not that interesting to me.
Happy new year.
Second
Agree!
I might be in the minority with the Craigslist posts but maybe if you showed how you end up using the Craigslist finds, it would be more interesting. This was additional feedback as I already posted a longer set 🙂
I agree. It was a bit hard to remember which part of each project was from which house. I would stick to one major project at a time, with some lighter posts mixed in between.
ha. Brittany I will DEFINITELY be sticking to one major project at a time 🙂 And i can’t tell you how confusing it was designing 9 bathrooms at the same house and trying to keep them all straight. SO MANY LESSONS 🙂
9 bathrooms?? 9? That is why this content didn’t resonate. NINE! That is excess in the excess. It makes me feel a little queasy thinking how much those 9 bathrooms cost for one person’s house.
Like others have said, the survey isn’t working. I for one love the process posts. They’re my favourite in fact! I’d be disappointed to see them disappear. I have learnt so much from you by the way you break everything down into small details. Maybe this is because I’m in the process of doing up my house, or maybe it’s because I’m just naturally interested in design, but I find them fascinating. The more detail the better. What I like is that you have a real ability to articulate things that I kind of unconsciously ‘know’ but have been unable to pinpoint – case in point: I’m installing a bathroom at the moment and was going back and forth on the shower niche. Such a small/irrelevant thing to most people, but I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t like what I was doing. Your article really helped give me clarity and confidence. I come here for interior design, so skip past all the lifestyle/fashion/parenting posts. I’d love to see more quick turnaround room makeovers in varying styles – with a breakdown of your choices and why they work – but understand you may have moved on from that. However, I do… Read more »
Design only. Skip parenting, lifestyle posts.
Agree?
I completely agree with what you said about Emily articulating things I can’t! It’s super helpful to know details when you’re actually in that process and trying to figure out what’s missing, or why something looks “off.” But I think it’s possibly too niche, and therefore uninteresting if you don’t happen to be choosing a mirror for above your wall mount faucet at that very moment. I confess I didn’t spend as much time on the lengthy process posts throughout the last year because they weren’t relevant to me. I second that I would love more quick turnaround makeover posts. In addition to pieces feeling unattainable, it also feels unattainable to spend hours, days, weeks agonizing over the perfect rug. I loved the giveaway makeover because the finished product wasn’t perfect— you used what you had just like many of us— but it was still pretty fantastic. I adore the Roundups and Rules posts and I reference them constantly! I also love your family/parenting posts (and I’m not a parent!). I pretty much always read the lifestyle posts too. I can’t wait for more styling, more thrifting, and most of all for Trolling Craigslist to return! Thank you for working… Read more »
Ah, thanks guys. I think with two less HUGE projects we’ll be able to do more achievable fun styling posts. Lord knows I’d MUCH rather do that 🙂 THANK YOU
Styling is where you stand out and more varied, decorative projects are the most fun. I love that you have been looking to your past for hints of the future. Imagine breaking up Secrets From A Stylist into different content areas. I think your style quizzes are so much fun and I love how you can define a style, no matter how nuanced and niche. I love seeing spaces transformed into those very specific styles without a ton of construction. Your shopping posts and roundups support this theme, and I am SO happy to see you playing and restyling in your own house.
Also, real talk: I love your voice and the voice of several of the people on you team. Others annoy me. Maybe look at the metrics and see if anyone else feels the same way?
Loved all the process, but maybe two BIG projects was too much at the same time? I know circumstances dictated the Portland house and the Mountain house at the same time, but it was a lot to cover and things may have bled together a bit. I loved the Portland house, but sneak peeking it with the RE listing and otherwise probably took some oomph out of the actual reveals. That’s a situational hazard though — not sure how you could have done otherwise unless you went full-on reveal for a week right after the listing went live…
Love flea market posts and would definitely love to see the blog get back to some Craigslist posts from cities around the country — very fun and relatable for almost everyone.
I love the process, design, styling posts. Cost makes no difference, it is the imagination and innovation that we can learn from. They can be used at any level. A close friend recently redid her condo with thrift shop and Craig’s list and you would love it! The folks that whine about costs are the same ones who want to know what is on the test!
No access to the survey even though I’d love to take it. 🙁 I love the design posts and don’t really care for the lifestyle posts. An occasional party post is fun if you are throwing out some new ideas for decor or food for parties, but there seemed to be a lot of those this year. (I love the party posts about the kids’ birthdays or holidays that most folks would consider having a party for. I’m not so into the random-party-without-a-purpose posts.) I’m not a fan of the clothing/beauty posts personally. I’m here for decor content. Regarding Portland: I think the downside of the Portland posts is how spread apart they were. They lost their “new”ness. Maybe if all the reveals were released over a week or two that would have been better? I love that you are going to develop more content in line with quirky Emily vs polished “corporate” Emily. I’ve felt many of your posts were so sponsored that we had lost your original quirk that brought me here. (I do totally understand the need for some sponsored posts, however. The blog is a business after all.) Something I’d love to see more of is… Read more »
Plus one to more art! I looked into buying something from a Portland house artist but didn’t have any idea how much it might cost and wasn’t sure what the process was.
Adding another vote for more affordable original art and/or prints direct from artists or a direct online source like Minted or Etsy. Better yet, LA/SoCal is full of fantastic galleries but I don’t think you’ve ever featured a gallery in any way (I could be wrong, though!). They are still very important avenues for seeing and purchasing work and I’m sure a few would be thrilled to partner with you in some way. Speaking as an artist, it can be disheartening to see bloggers and designers featuring the same big box prints over and over again or even paying the same amount of money for a flea market vintage painting that could be used to purchase from and promote the work of a living artist. You have fabulous taste in art and artists and I see a passion for art in your designs– would love to see that channeled in a way that really promotes artists. The use of local artists for the Portland house and the Jane Denton print giveaway is a lovely start! You’re already on that right track!
+3 For more art posts. I just purchased my first home a few months ago and have gotten it to a place furniture-wise where I feel like all the major pieces are in but the thing missing is art. And I’m having the biggest struggle wanting to pay my dues to hardworking artists but also finding GOOD art that I can afford.
Plus one to this! I’m always referencing the “affordable large scale art” post, but I would love an update with more varied options! I love Brady’s taste in art and I’m sure each person has different taste. Maybe a flea market post where you each pick up a few art pieces, explain why, and then style them??
Also I love the room restyling idea above. One of those “a few quick changes can make a big difference” things. I know you do these in your house quite often, but I think I’d like to see different homes and settings.
While your style isn’t always in line with mine, your blog is the one I always come back to – I think it’s the best out there. The posts are long (and sometimes a little TOO detailed), so i do need to have a good chunk of time which means not reading every day and hoarding posts for the weekend.
I absolutely LOVED the “I design, You decide” – so fun and unique to see multiple designs and follow along with the process. I found myself reading a lot of those comments because everyone was engaged/invested and influencing your choices. More of those, even on a smaller scale, would be great. And speaking to affordability – “get the looks” of some of those rooms would also be helpful.
My one complaint is I feel like there can be duplication in content (specifically remembering your kitchen reno) where it feels like something is revealed 2-3 times, so it feels like a re-hashing of the same thing in a short timeframe.
Emily, First, I LOVE your blog and check in everyday to see what you’ve posted while I get my tea and settle in at my desk. I have to admit, I don’t think I looked at a single post on the Portland house except for one of the bathrooms and the post about Christmas decor with Target. I think I felt like everything about the Portland house was out of budget and unattainable. I found myself thinking while looking at the bathroom post “Yeah, I would have a bathroom that pretty, too, if I had a million dollars and could afford a $325 toilet paper holder.” The posts weren’t interesting to me because there wasn’t anything I felt I could use/ borrow for MY life. It’s nice to see the aspirational reveals, but discouraging to think you could never be able to afford or replicate anything in the space. I loved the Target holiday decor post and went out and bought that pretty wreath the same day and hung it in the window in my living room. I love your posts because there is usually something I can use in my own life or at least replicate. The Portland house… Read more »
Your comment echos everything I feel about the Portland house – Right down to going out and buying that beautiful wreath from the Christmas reveal!
I love the fixtures that Emily used in the project, but now I’m left wanting doors, windows, faucets, knobs, lighting, etc. that are WAY out of my price range!
Same. I keep trying to figure out how to achieve an Emily bathroom with <<<$
I love and read every post!
The fashion posts are always a call to action, because 100% of the time I buy things from the links.
I also return to the hosting posts (4th of July for example) fro reference for my own events.
Thank you.
The Portland house remodel went on for so long that I had mostly lost interest by the time the reveals came out. I get that renovations like that actually take forever, but maybe we readers should have been left in the dark about it until you were closer to the final reveal. I also agree with other readers who say there were too many sneak peeks. I also miss when you did client work because you showed a greater variety in style and budget. The Portland house looks like a bigger, fancier version of your house. I honestly feel used when it comes to the mountain house. I feel like you pulled us all in with “I design you decide”, got us to engage and increase traffic, and then 1) didn’t listen to what we voted for, or 2) went so high end and design crazy that you have to put off some renovations til later. It’s hard to get excited for that reveal when I’m so frustrated with the experience. I am super NOT into wardrobe and beauty updates. I follow other blogs for that, but I seem to be in the minority on this topic, so you should… Read more »
I agree with this comment. Emily, the Portland house is lovely but I wasn’t super engaged with it at first because of the price. Then you had long delays between design decisions and reveals. I get that the process takes a while but that’s why you should have held back content until you could launch it all. Having a Monday “here’s the design plan”, a Tuesday “what worked, what didn’t”, a Wednesday reveal, a Thursday “this look at your price point” and a Friday non-design content or whatever would have really engaged me more. On top of the delay, every room looked so similar (which I get is part of a cohesive design) that 3 months later I didn’t remember one bedroom from another.
For the mountain house, I second everything here. If you just want the engagement and interaction without the actual follow-through, it’s insulting. You could have involved readers in more decorating decisions instead of design decisions that had big implications for your family.
Good morning! I would have completed the survey however I don’t have a google account and don’t plan on starting one for a survey. Here are a few overall comments from an everyday reader:
1. I was beyond impressed with the amount of content you and your team put out for 2018. I’m especially excited for OG Emily and loved the flea market posts. So excited for you to bring by the craigslist posts!
2. Personally, the Portland house was very anticlimactic. Everything about it was beautiful, but by the time the listing was shared I had seen everything. It was also very unrelatable. I became completely uninterested when I read approximately $250k was spent on staging. I understand this is a business and the clientele you’re marketing too in Portland is high end. It simply felt wasteful and unrelatable.
3. I loved the posts on your teams homes/rentals. Please keep the reveals and processes in the mix for 2019!
4. I miss the personal posts on motherhood. I love the style and even sponsored travel posts!
So excited to see what 2019 brings your team! Thank you for all of the wonderful content!
Just popping in to say that I agree with a lot of the above but do not agree with saying the Portland house was “wasteful” – to say you couldn’t relate is fine, but to judge how someone else spends their money or decorates their house is not really appropriate. It’s all relative and I think we could do better to be less judgmental and more accepting. When people want to spend their money on quality handmade household goods and furniture, more power to them. It is something I cannot currently afford but definitely aspire to.
KP, I totally agree with your sentiment that we should be less judgmental of others’ decisions when it comes to our homes, and I personally prefer fewer, quality items. But I can see where Heather’s original comment was coming from — staging. Staging a house for $250k does seem excessive and wasteful, and it’s interesting to consider where those goods will end up after the home is sold. Maybe that’s something we need a post from Emily on! I know a lot of companies stage homes professionally (renting goods) but it doesn’t seem like that is what EHD did here. Maybe she will use some of those items in future giveaway room makeovers.
I love this blog. Im a loyal, easy going l reader, with no complaints, just thankful to have pretty things to look at daily. Ill take the survey too, but in one word, I think follow-up is a good keyword for 2019. Chronology and quick follow-up drive more interest I think. The turn around time between the hair cut intro and hair cut reveal was short! Possibly the Portland engagement was less bc there was a lot of time (so it seemed to me anyway) between intro and reveals. I think smaller projects done more quickly will serve you well this year. Which should be pretty natural since it’s close to time to style the mountain house! Now I will say I only engage here, not on Instagram (I’m not on IG) so maybe I don’t have a good view since I don’t also have the ig angle. Your Interactions in comments also builds momentum I think….for me anyway. I like to see your responses to the crowd. Finally, maybe you could start a series on tying up loose ends. Like, did the ship mural make it into the playroom, or should I not bring that up again ??? And… Read more »
JB, love this point. Follow up on some of these things would be awesome. It feels like real life and that the story doesn’t just drop out of existence. As a thorough reader (and Virgo!), I love when loose ends are tied up and when we can click back to a post and see how things were resolved or changed.
I ADORED the Portland project, and LOOOOOVED watching the process, but by the end of it I was tired of it. Between sneak peeks, IG walk-throughs, IG posts, and individual room reveals, my brain got too saturated. You did an amazing job of sharing the process, but it left too little to the imagination, so by the time you shared the room reveals, they weren’t exciting anymore. I’d already basically seen them.
Also, did you ever sell it??? Or is it still just sitting there with you going up every month or two doing more shoots there? I’m very confused about it. It’s beautiful, but it almost feels like pointless beauty if no one gets to enjoy it. Is that weird to say?
You lost me as a regular reader a while back when the word “content” became so prevalent. Your blog comes across as manufactured “content” compared to the old days. I would think as a design business, you would have enough to share organically, without having to manufacture content. I also cringed at the “I design, you decide.” This is YOUR home, and you and Brian should love every bit of it, rather than compromising for the sake of “content.” I do love to read about why various design decisions were made, down to what finishes and styles were chosen for cabinet hardware, but your posts are so word-heavy that I get bored. I think one of the reasons roundup posts work is that they’re easier to digest. I also had high hopes for the series about the various design styles, but felt that many were completely left off, and the others did not show the true style, but Emily’s version of the style. I get that this is Emily’s blog, but if your readers think “traditional” is what you showed, they’re being misinformed by more Cali/boho/eclectic with a slight traditional influence. Along that line, I know that niching is generally… Read more »
I have the same reaction to any mention of “content.” Maybe it’s hypocritical of me… I know it’s a business and that you have to go in this direction to keep doing what you’re doing, but I guess I don’t want to see how the sausage is made. It started for me with the first post a couple of years ago about how your team creates content every day (which is itself admirable). I miss the days of you being a designer who showcases her work, provides resources, etc. — now you’re just a “content creator” and “style maker,” and that is a turnoff for me. It’s possible that my expectations are unrealistic. I have some of the same problems with the Elements of Style blog, which I have also followed since the early days and still do. I kind of miss the days when you (and Erin Gates) were also decorating your homes on a budget. We’re all older now, but you both now have huge decorating budgets — and I’m still buying too much stuff at Target and Home Goods. I’m more settled than I was 10 years ago, but I’m still not buying $1500 light fixtures. I… Read more »
Agree!!
I agree with everything that H just wrote – well written. Tired of seeing lots of discussion about the content. As they tell writers, show, don’t tell. I also would like to see less of the white with blue and brass accents. I’d hoped to see a lot more of other types of styles (regular victorian, old houses from 1900s, full-on modern, full-on midcentury modern, cape cod style, etc.).
I definitely have to agree regarding style! My style generally does not match yours but I often turned to you because you did the best job of explaining the “why” when it came to design decisions, and I could simply take your “why” and apply it to my own style. I was SO excited when you announced you bought the English Tudor and were going to be a bit more traditional with your design, but for the most part I was pretty disappointed because I don’t get the vibe that the home has a traditional vibe at all (other than the construction of the home itself). I get that you have your own style and I will totally still be a reader if that is the style that you continue to showcase – I just wish I didn’t keep having my hopes up for something different (ie., more traditional) only to find the same Emily style once the reveal is posted. P.S. – The Portland Project was more up my alley in terms of style but it seemed so unattainable because of the ridiculous cost. I would love to be able to afford so many of the fixtures, materials, furniture,… Read more »
Yes, to the “get the look” cost. Though beautiful, the Portland house was so out of my budget I didn’t even want to read about it. That being said, the Christmas with Target post was one of my favorites because I could actually go out and buy it.
Amen. I’m so tired of hearing about ‘content’ that it turns me off of your brand. I do read daily and just skip roundups and haircut posts. Love the design content including your home renovation and the Portland house and the looks into other’s spaces. The mountain house is a turnoff honestly. I think because of the way you are alway tring to explain away the deviation from the original concept. I don’t want to weigh-in on your space. I want to see what a professional designer does in situation X. Long detailed posts are great. Just keep some of the ‘magic’ and be a little less transparent about the behind-the-scenes machinations of a contemporary blog/IG brand.
The entire Portland house things was just too much. Honestly I had to keep trying to remember – was this also the mountain house? Or something completely different? I lost interest in following along – the posts were so. darn. long. I want before and afters not every last detail as to why you spent a crazy amount of money over why you spent a different crazy amount of money. Same with your mountain house – I dont even know where that is now. The house is so big and the posts are so long that I cant keep up. Also, there tends to be a trend with this blog that you write a massive post about something new, something you changed and why you did it, then you just change it completely a couple months after,.
My wish – is less paragraphs. There is just something about the small font, large paragraphs that loses me,
I absolutely love your style and also am excited for the changes you have mentioned. It should result in a nice balance.
I agree with all of this. I got confused between the Portland house and the mountain house and eventually just stopped caring and never read those posts. I know they are beautiful and I liked the way you originally gave two different options for the mountain house design, but it seems like you moved away from that? Then I got very confused.
My mind also doesn’t understand all the blueprint/layout stuff. I know it’s great and takes a ton of work and skill, so not knocking it — but I just can’t connect so typically skip those posts.
First, I’d like to say that I love all of your content, and it really shows how much time and work go behind each detailed post. I enjoy learning your thought process on a lot of the projects, but sometimes things like the Portland house aren’t that interesting because it just isn’t applicable to me right now.
I live in an older, smaller New England home, and the challenges I face rarely come up in the styles you execute. How do I design around these older radiators, how do I deal with these slanted ceilings in some bedrooms, a small master bathroom, etc. I also would love to see more nurseries and kid content (since I just became a mom). So it’s not that I don’t love everything you post, because I do! – I just love seeing more things that are relate-able and executable. I love your round ups and love the surprise makeover you did! So nice to see an everyday house getting a one day refresh, and how big of an impact it is.
Hi Rose! I just have to put in my 2 cents, as another West Coaster, that we simply don’t HAVE east coast architecture and design out here to work with. What Emily shows is the reality of most California homes in my experience. Tons of one story rectangles with minimal architectural interest and hardly anything older than 80 years, in fact most people I know personally have homes no older than the 1970’s. It’s hard to find radiators or slanted ceilings anywhere! Tiny 1000sq ft Craftsman homes in hipster neighborhoods is the best we can do ;-P What we do have is good light. So yeah 🙂 I would suggest finding a New England based designer or two to follow, though I don’t know of any as quirky boho and fun as Emily, I do like Shine Your Light and Laurel Bern.
Perhaps this is the case if you live in a tract or subdivision, but there are TONS of 100+ year old homes in California and along the west coast.
Emily’s house is over 100 years old…..
I’m also on the love the process posts train. I definitely spent a lot more time reading the process posts than the haircut ones. I agree with many commentators that the Portland house started feeling too similar, in general it felt too drawn out – I didn’t think each bathroom needed its own post. However, I completely appreciate that I get a brand new post every single day I visit this site – so if that means multiple bathroom posts, I’m here for that. The round-ups are my least favorite, I skip over them all the time.
I’d love to take the survey, so I’ll come back when it’s working. Here are my thoughts for now:
Both the Mountain House and the Portland house are much more high-end than my home could ever be. I enjoyed looking at them, but there was rarely anything in either that I could relate to. Not because they weren’t beautiful, but because my middle class mid-century ranch just isn’t ever going to be the place to implement much of anything from either of those projects.
I looked back at an old post where you redid a friend’s living room and dining room and remembered how much I loved posts like that. So maybe do one huge expensive renovation project at a time mixed in with some smaller, quicker makeovers more of us could relate and aspire to. I like the roundups but the old makeovers are my favorites. I hope for some of those this year! Thank you for all you do!
I’ve already shared a whole diatribe, but wanted to chime in about my thoughts why the Portland house reveals didn’t snag as high of numbers. I feel like you have pulled your readers in to your mountain house, but you the Portland reno was kept so secret. You talked about hiring someone in Portland to help you, and we knew a reno was going on, but you never shared anything about it along the way. You announced it was happening, then you announced it was done. Or at least that’s how it came across to me as a reader. I think your work there is beautiful and I wish you would have brought us along the whole way. I also think it was a weird time of year for the reveals, when many of us were focused on other things. Maybe you can go back and pick apart some additional things to share.
Yes! This is how I felt about the Portland house too. I mostly read the blog, not IG, so I didn’t see any sneak peeks. Just radio silence and then bam, it’s done. It would have been nice to be involved in more of the process.
i come here every morning for the interior design/styling/renovations and skip the lifestyle stuff as well. I really enjoyed all the renovation posts for Portland and Mountain House because although on a huge/costly scale that I could never do, I DO like learning the process behind it so i can be more informed when doing my own (smaller-scaled) renovation. I do agree w/ others that the posts were really far out and lengthy so maybe that’s why the engagement wasn’t as high? I read through ALL your bathroom posts when re-doing my bathrooms last year and i am SO thankful I did so I didn’t sound like a dud when talking to my contractor…Gave me lots of inspo as well! i also REALLY enjoy when you do the Budget Room styling posts. It’s so helpful to see rooms pulled together cohesively when thinking about how I can do it in my own home. I love starting my day with your blog posts. You are such an inspiration and your voice really comes through in your writing. Makes me feel like were friends in real life! 🙂 Thank you for working so hard to put out such great content for your… Read more »
I read for the interior design – haircuts are just fun because they are easy to consume and shed light on your team. An amouse-bouche, not a main course;).
I enjoy the process posts but I didn’t care for the Portland house itself, it felt cold and uninspired to me. I do think the big renos probably can’t generate as much content as you put out – sneak peaks and full posts and process etc, probably too much of one design project for the layperson.
I suppose I don’t think you’re going to be able to find any perfect answer. You can’t ever know what else is out there in the blogosphere on any given day, traffic will never be fully predictable. You do you. Me, personally, I don’t care for the shopping roundups, unless they are set in imagery of actual rooms/how-tos etc. See what I mean?
My favorite series this year were the Mountain House and the Styles posts. There you have it. Love this blog.
I would like to see renovations that are a little more approachable so I can get ideas for my own home. I am renovating my house now but my budget for tile is more like $10 psf for showers and most floors. I could splurge on pricey tile in one or two areas but not all over. I would like to see more of a high low mix. I like the process posts and don’t care for the beauty posts as much. The fashion posts are ok but I mostly like anything interior design related the most. I would love to see more decorating posts next year.
To answer some but not all of the questions posed… 1. I personally wasn’t as into the Portland House as I could’ve been for many reasons such as: a) it didn’t feel very “Emily” to me, b) I’m a renter, so I can’t go from spectator to participant as I’m not in the position to renovate anything (unlike, say, an Etsy or Budget Room post where I can buy the stuff or similar), c) because no one real had lived there yet, it seemed a bit cold to me, and d) I honestly still miss the old mid-century modern CA house, and that sort of a feel (light, airy, bright, cheerful). 2. I’d prefer huge reveals of the Mountain House, rather than process posts, unless the process posts have some sort of voting element, because I do quite enjoy voting. I guess you could say that I prefer a good, meaty post, and the process posts aren’t as satiating. 3. A new build… well, sure! (if you want to) I’m actually curious about how that would go since I only know two people who have actually done it, and both either made choices that they later regretted, or had a… Read more »
I have lost interest in the Portland reveal because it feels like it was years ago, and it seems like all I read is “full reveal coming soon guys!!!”. It’s also honestly hard to get excited about these huge whole house renos. It’s a little out of touch with how most people probably live. More little projects that are relatable.
I’m a long-time reader but won’t be filling out your survey because you have to sign into google to do it.
Hi KD. Thank you for being a long-time reader. You should be able to take it now without logging in. Please let us know if you continue to have issues!
Enjoyed the Portland house reveal but there wasn’t enough before/during pictures , info, story to be invested in the house. The journey /process is the exciting part that inspires.
Only because you asked……the number one thing I hope you will change this year, “content”.
Let your last post be last time you use the word content in a post.
When watching a TV show the actors don’t talk about providing dialog. They just perform.
At a play….the set enhances the scene. No one stops mid-play to point out a set is required..
A book doesn’t describe word were necessary to create the book. It’s just understood.
Obviously, your blog needs content. However, discussing “content” changes the feel of your end product.
Let “content” be a 2018 thing.
Agree 100%
I really strongly agree with this comment. I don’t mind at all that you are running a business and need to focus on what sells. I don’t mind hearing about it occasionally because I like hearing your real voice, and this is a real part of your life. But to me it does feel like a bit too much of the focus has been here. I feel like that’s up to you and your team to sort through and it kills the fun a bit to hear about it all the time. Like the gym I go to is a business first obviously, but if they constantly talked their numbers it would be a constant reminder that the trainers care about profit and not me as a human reaching my goals. In truth I think they care about both but are better trainers if they only focus their conversation with me on one of those points. As to what I like – well, I come here every day so I really like most everything you put out there! I love hearing from you – as a feminist, a mom, a liberal. I love any type of room make-over and seeing… Read more »
100% agree on the content. And generally have the same thoughts as Molly on what I like though I don’t mind the budget piece about portland like everyone else seems to…
oh LAWD, I wish this comment had a “like” button! We GET that content and ads and affiliate links and sponsored posts are necessary — and of course it makes sense that you want to find out the kind of content people are wanting. But your engagement numbers already tell you that. There are ways to incorporate everything you need to in a tasteful and professional way… the consistent reference to “content” sounds basically like you’re trying to justify it to not only the masses, but yourself… and it comes off as amateurish, TBH. Just OWN IN EMILY. You don’t have to make excuses or justify what you post. Yes, consider what readers are clicking on, but otherwise don’t let your anxieties take center stage. You can’t please everyone, so just do your best and let your team do what THEY do best, and you’ll be fine.
No more “content” talk. Just make content and thrive.
Agreed!! When it comes to renovations it’s great to get behind the scenes, but not when it comes to how you guys strategize about what to post based on eyeballs and revenue. I know it’s simplistic to say ‘post what you like’ but it’s true – some people will love a certain type of post (I do adore the fashiony ones for example but it seems like a lot of people here in these comments don’t) and others won’t and that should be okay. It’s like the Barack Obama post — I know you claimed it’s not about caring about how many followers you lost but rather why you lost them – but it seemed like it was about numbers, and honestly (and not commenting on that photo but just the thought behind what you wrote about it) if you stand by your content it shouldn’t really matter if you gain some, lose some with each post.
Oh my god yes this. No to the word ‘content’! Tee your comparison re dialogue/books etc is spot on.
Survey wouldn’t work when I clicked it, it says I need access.
I think Portland lost steam because it wasn’t in real time. We basically saw a plan and then a reveal not the fun process/thinking posts that often come in between. I like when you keep a mix, some renovation, some decorating, some entertaining, etc. your style is quite different from mine and I like to see things that are a little out of my comfort zone that I still like.
Initially the reveals for the Portland house went quickly, and I was excited to read them, but then they slowed down and lost momentum. I think the reveals for each project should be released over a short period of time and follow a logical sequence. I loved the content of the Portland house as it is nice to see how the design flows throughout the home. The kitchen and bathroom remodels are less interesting for me as I am in a rental, but I still like to see them and understand the trends. It would be nice to understand the budget of the kitchen and bathrooms, other than saying it is “high end”. I agree with a comment below that remodels at different price points would be interesting, i.e., a 10k bathroom remodel vs. 100k. The strategy for content reveal of the mountain house was hard for me to understand. It was very scattered and I still don’t understand what is finished (well I understand it is finished but don’t feel the release of content is clear in my mind), and what is next. The posts that stood out to me about the mountain house were the wood ceiling, the… Read more »
Hi Emily – I think that your blog stands out because of you and your personality that shines in your writing. For example, in answer to a question posed in a Facebook/podcast group that I belong to, about ‘are there still good/fun blogs to read?’ your blog was listed, along with, for example, Cup of Jo. I do come to your blog for design advice and love the ‘tutorials’ (like how to choose lighting, for example) but mostly I just like your unique voice. Thanks.
I loved the renovation posts, for the most part. I enjoy the detailed content, but they were too long to read. And I’m a big reader! I would say try to edit them down and increase the number of pictures versus words. I love looking at higher-end design. I can always find something that I can include in my home, either a lower-priced version of the product (Homegoods!) or the pictures and details help me to find the right items to splurge on. I don’t read about haircuts, parties, or parenting. (I’m not into fashion, I throw simple parties, and my kids are much older than yours, so it’s irrelevant to me. Please don’t turn to more fashion posts, I’ve stopped reading many decor blogs when they do that.)
I love your style and your work!
In regards to the Portland reveal—I actually loved watching you all plan the construction and design. However, I think one of the reasons why I found myself less interested in the reveal is because it wasn’t someone’s home. I love seeing your home and inside other spaces that are lived in, but I think seeing a beautiful space without the soul breathed into it by a family living there just lost my attention. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Portland house was impeccably designed and I know someone will be incredibly happy there, but there’s something so much more intimate about seeing a space that’s actually lived in.
I’ll also say I do enjoy seeing your clothing choices—you know what’s what when it comes to aesthetics!—and, as I said before, I love seeing snippets of your home as well! I’ll take anything I can get when it comes to the mountain house; sneak peaks or full reveals, I’ll take it all!
I can’t access the survey, FYI. I personally love the reno posts, as I like to do projects in my own house and like the ideas and insight into the “how”. I thought the Portland house was beautiful and you did a great job, however, we ended up seeing the same stuff in many different posts…I totally get that you’re trying to get all the content you can out of it, but when you showed the “reveal”, we had already seen it many times, in the real estate listing, entertaining posts, holiday posts, etc…so it didn’t feel like a new post by the end. For me, posts on process are great, I definitely reference the “how I put together a design plan” “how I put together a lighting plan” – type posts. I also get that you’re trying to present aspirational stuff, but the crazy high budgets are something that sometimes make me not continue reading a post, since it’s completely untranslatable to a middle class (or even upper middle class!) budget…especially when it seems like you redo that room within a few months anyway (I can’t do that, so if I take advice from an initial post, are you… Read more »
I read your blog all the time but actually the hair one was one I skipped over as it *really* didn’t interest me. As somebody else has mentioned, I love your writing voice and there was once or twice when I thought somebody else had done the bulk of the writing (perhaps with you doing an editing pass) and it showed. There are other members of your team whose voices I also love (alas I can’t remember names offhand) but it’s true that your stats may reveal who the stars are. Yes your content is high end, but I like aspirational posts so I think that’s a good thing, even if my own bank balance or housing situation wouldn’t allow it for myself. I love your family posts, and (I surprise myself) your garden/outdoor reveals. I also love anything that involves an altered floorplan, although I know technically that’s the work of an architect rather than yourself. I did however get a little bogged down in all the “Here is how we designed a custom sofa/window/shelf” detail. One think I find is that when you design spaces for yourself you go a little to the bland side. I understand this,… Read more »
That was my favorite post ever too!
I totally agree! Emily I love your blog and I am an avid reader! I will read pretty much anything here, but if you’re asking for feedback I’m really here for design.
As a concrete suggestion – would you consider renovating a more ‘normal’ home? I know you are super aspiration so don’t change anything about that but maybe throw it in with more homes like your nanny’s or even the super quick makeover you did for someone in need? Or maybe 1 level higher than that and just an ordinary bathroom / living room / kitchen along the way? That way there is something for everyone!
Would prefer a finished reno, like Portland, was shown on consecutive days not scattered about. Did not like you decide I design. What was the point. Would prefer you do the design and then show us. Blog posts sometimes are too long.
I can access the survey, but at the bottom, the button says “Get Link” and then gives me a pop-up message of “Share this link to include pre-filled responses” and then it takes me back to the top of my filled-out form. There is no option to actually submit the form.
Same.
The Portland momentum and frankly even the mountain house lost steam for me because they were sooooooo dragged out, with little to show for it except bathrooms, bathrooms, and more bathrooms. (I love your blog so much but I now just roll my eyes when I see yet another bathroom post.) Also, the “I design you decide” idea was SO cool, but there wasn’t super much variation between the options (which I get – you wanted to like both of them, and for Brian to as well), and it felt kinda’ like you wouldn’t really stick with the outcome anyway. And they were just so spread out (see first line above). I was excited to read about how you’d think about and choose the overall look for the places (the initial posts about each were great and did that), but then the posts were full of endless tiling conversation. I like renovation and look forward to doing my own, but it was less about design and more about the guts, whereas, I wanted most design and some of the guts (the tips are great). I love that you’re frank and have a voice; my favorite posts were yours, though Velinda’s… Read more »
Tried to take the survey, it didn’t work.
You asked what dampened the Portland project…. for me on lots of the projects lately (not just Portland) seeing SO much of it in the design plan or maybe seeing the design plan so disjointed from the reveal of the room made it messy in my mind and hard to follow. With such large projects, maybe waiting to show us the plan for the bathroom until you are ready to reveal the bathroom and making it bathroom week! I would feel so much more invested in seeing the reveal and it would feel more like what smaller blogs are doing, only you have so much more content to show you could be doing it all the time. I feel like your commitment to real time and showing us the plan while you are planning and the waiting so long until the reveal….. because you aren’t a blog that shows the messy in between and generates so much content I forget about the room and am not as invested once you reveal it. I hope that makes sense and is helpful.
I think I will echo what a lot of readers have already said – for me, the Portland project was too spaced out and I lost interest. It was too high end for me and not inspiring since it was a flip and didn’t feel warm to me. Anything I might have clicked would be far too expensive to even consider. And by the time these reveals are coming out, I feel as though I’ve already seen the whole thing. I just skip the reveals now and honestly wouldn’t care or notice if you didn’t do any more reveals. I feel bad to say that because I know you put so much work into it! Maybe in the future, as others have suggested, do fewer sneak peeks and put the reveals closer together. My favorites are budget friendly room make-overs, seeing what you do in your own home, and other home tours. I will also echo what someone else said about “content”. I think in an effort to be more transparent you’ve gone a little too much into how the sausage gets made. Sometimes I don’t want to know if a party is just done for content and wasn’t real.… Read more »
Emily, I love most everything on the blog. The one thing I would change is that when you do room reveals you spread them over two days. It loses the surprise that way. I’d like to see the room reveal first, and then the stuff you were putting in the first post, like the things your choosing…. could be the second day. I always feel a little let down when I see the reveal because I already know what’s going to be in the room. Thanks for being interested in our opinions! I’m not sure if the survey worked for me, I filled it out but when I tried to submit it wasn’t clear if it worked. It gave me a link but it didn’t seem to go any where.