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Design

House Tour: Mel’s New Place Makes Us Want to Declutter Immediately

***Written by Mel Burstin | Photography by Tessa Neustadt

Hi EHD readers, it’s Mel (EHD design alum) here to provide you with a tour of my new digs. Sidebar: My full name is Melanie Burstin and though my friends, my family, Emily, and everyone who knows me through all of these people (that’s you!) call me Mel, I feel like the internet needs proof of my full name. So, hear that internet? Anyway, we’re off topic already. Let’s get back on track.

About nine months ago, everything in my life changed. No, I did not have a baby (just a coincidence with the amount of time it took me to finish my apartment) but, I did change my life in pretty much every other way a woman can. First, I said goodbye to being a designer at Emily Henderson Design and went off on my own. I have my own firm, my own clients, and I have time to work out at 8 am instead of 6 am. I’m running things solo but I’m also an agency designer with Homepolish which means I have a wonderful team (most of them in New York) supporting me in any way I need. I am so lucky that the moment I was about to jump into having my own business, Homepolish was like, “We like you, can we hold your hand while you do this?”

Okay, so I got a new job, but there’s definitely more. My long-term relationship ended, and therefore, I wanted to move/was suddenly living by myself for the first time in my life, and I finallyyyy got the dog I have not stopped talking about wanting for the last eight years. Flash forward these few months and everything has worked out so perfectly! My ex and I are still really close friends, my dog Moose is everything I’ve ever dreamed of, my business is thriving and I’m in an awesome relationship that is making me very happy. Oh, and lastly, my new apartment is super cozy and cute. Want the details? Let’s go…

First off, here are a few befores of the space (living room, dining room, bedroom) before I moved my stuff in:

Mortonbefore 2500x1660 Update

Mortonbefore2 2500x1660 Update1

Since I’m not insane, I have to say I love bright white oak floors and natural light! These two things are what sold me on this apartment. The second I walked in, I knew this was the place. The layout was also similar to my first apartment in Silverlake and that made me feel comfortable which I definitely needed at the time. I was also so excited about the light cabinets in the kitchen—they were practically begging for all my Japanese pottery.

Melanie Burstin Dining Room 1

Dining Table | Dining Chairs | Pendant Light | Tree | Ceramic Bowl

Let’s start with my favorite space in the apartment: the dining room. This window is everything! Unfortunately, though, I’m on the first floor and struggle with privacy a little. So I enlisted a good friend and we added some self-adhering privacy film to the lower section. Now, I’m hidden from the street but the view of my cute little neighborhood and my precious natural light are not obstructed. If you remember my last apartment, you’ll notice from the above photo that I kept quite a few things. I am still painfully in love with my Muuto dining chairs from Finnish Design Shop. So much so that my new dining table is from Finnish Design shop, too! I wanted something round as it’s a pass-through space and I thought it would be fun to continue to play with angled legs since I’m already doing it with the chairs. My life-size Jenga is still front and center (“life-size” as in how “Life Size Barbie” was a really big version of Barbie but not exactly human-scale, just…bigger). And I kept my Noguchi pendant light to boot. One thing I seriously struggle with as a designer is how to refrain from putting a Noguchi light in every room.

Melanie Burstin Dining Room 3

Art wise in this nook, I hung a vintage watercolor that happens to be the only thing in the last year and a half I have found at the Rosebowl. I think it’s a really fun juxtaposition with this sculptural tree from Sanso, which is a plant store located in Frogtown, LA’s hippest new neighborhood. They specialize in gorgeously pruned plants and minimal pottery. In this photo, you’ll also see another of my prized possessions: a handmade bowl I use for two of my favorite foods; cherries and olives (it has a little compartment to catch pits). It’s like a motorcycle with a side car if the side car was for pits!

Melanie Burstin Living Room 3

Custom Sofa | Mustard Pillow | Printed Pillow | Draperies

On to my living room and the sofa I designed and custom made with Clad Home about a million years ago. I spend 90% of my time on this sofa. I work on this sofa, I watch TV on this sofa, I smother my dog on this sofa. Ladies and Gentleman, let me formally introduce you to the love of my life, Moose Burstin. If you follow me on Instagram, I’m sorry (because all I do is post videos of her now). She’s from the streets of Tijuana and rescuing her was something I really wanted. I knew adopting would be way more challenging than buying a puppy that fit my aesthetic perfectly, but I wanted my love to save something in need rather than perpetuate an industry I may not 100% be okay with (I grew up with a purebred Portuguese Waterdog who was amazing though!). I decided I’d find it difficult to purchase a dog birthed just for me when there are so many that already needed homes, so off to the shelters I went. Though Moose is from the streets, she has a very regal demeanor and beautifully models our throw pillows. I love this mustard velvet one I found on Etsy (have you been reading my Etsy roundups?), it perfectly complements a pillow from one of my favorite brands Blockshop. I love a good ethical brand that gives back to the community it uses to produce it’s goods. It’s also a very cute and comfortable pillow. I was lazy with my draperies and just kept the curtain rod my landlord had installed and used simple IKEA sheers for privacy.

With the coffee table, I really struggled to find something I loved. Eventually, I gave up and did something that was kind of bad…I had one custom made by a local carpenter that pretty much copied a vintage one I missed out on, and also couldn’t afford. I think this is in bad form but, I did it anyway? I couldn’t stop thinking about the one that got away. For the chairs, I splurged and found an amazing vintage pair and had them shipped from Denmark. I love how minimal and yet curvy they are.

Melanie Burstin Living Room 5

Art Over Sofa | Art Over Chair | Rug

For the rug, I decided to go a little bolder than I normally would (we all know I love a neutral knotted number) and used this rug from Loloi. It adds pattern to an otherwise solid space and it’s really soft. The lamp is from one of my favorite brands named Hem. It’s unfortunately not available in the US just yet but it should be next month! I love Hem because their designs are really simple but surprisingly punchy. Their price points are also manageable and fair.

Now onto one of my favorite design details…art! If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that art is really important to me. It’s how I started my design career after all. The piece over my sofa is by one of my favorite artists, Geoff Mcfetridge. I had wanted a piece by him for so long but I couldn’t find any that were available. That is until Exhibition A did a limited run of prints where each one was hand-embellished. I believe the illustration of the man is a print and then each one of 50 has a unique fauna painted over it. I set an alarm for 5 am release day and was desperately trying to decide which one I wanted while half asleep! The other two prints are by Benjamin Ewing, another artist I’ve been following for a while. I’m so surprised there are still some available!

Melanie Burstin Living Room 4

Custom Bookcase | Speakers | Pottery Pieces

On the other side of my living room, you’ll notice I kept another of my prized possessions. My custom bookcase from Hedgehouse Furniture. The vibes of my old space and new space are really different so the functionality of this piece had to change. My last apartment had a massive living room with a huge view and we decided to set it up more formally; no TV, just gorgeous accessories and a view of the reservoir. This time, my living room is much smaller (and cozier which I love), so my bookcase needed to be used more functionally. I mounted a TV over it and used the large piece to balance my heavy sofa. I then filled the shelves with pottery so I can be extra stimulated while watching TV.

I also tried to up my ambiance game by getting a vintage record player and these awesome speakers. My boyfriend is a music aficionado so once I mentioned I wanted a record player, he made sure my sound quality was up to snuff. We looked at a bunch of speakers and landed on these because they checked off my aesthetic requirements and his sound requirements (they can be both bluetooth and analogue)! I like that they make my accessories feel a little more masculine.

Melanie Burstin Living Room 1

Here, you’ll see a close up of some of my favorite possessions. Insanely cool candlesticks from my trip to Japan last year and of course, lots and lots of Blake Beaudette Pottery. On the bottom right you’ll see one of my most-loved pieces he ever made me. And then front and center we can see his new work. He’s learned how to use a lathe and now turns wood bases for his pieces. I. Am. Obsessed. Initially, I was supposed to just borrow these for my shoot but of course, the second they were styled, I texted him that they were definitely mine forever now. He’s the best and let me keep everything I wanted. The purse on the closet door is from one of my best friends. I watched her dog when she went to Bali last year so it was a thank you gift.

Melanie Burstin Living Room 9

Print | Lamp | Lidded Ceramic Vessel

The layout of my apartment feels very typical of 1960s Echo Park/East LA. You open my door and you’re smack dab in the middle of my living room. Now that I have a dog, I cannot tell you how much I dream of a proper foyer so I can have some personal space when accepting deliveries, etc. Speaking of having a dog, I needed somewhere to hide her paw wipes and leash, so I scoured the internet for months for a vintage cabinet that was narrow enough to work as an entrance piece. I think it would have felt claustrophobic if it came out too far and you’d have to walk around it when entering the space.

On top, you’ll see a lamp by Victoria Morris, one of my favorite lighting designers. I want every single lamp she makes. You’ll also see more pottery from Blake and a bowl I got in Japan. The glaze is so gorgeous in person—come over and see it. The print is from Poster Club and was in my gallery wall at my last apartment. I’m super interested in hearing what you guys think about me reusing so much. Is it interesting to see how I can style the same pieces differently or do you wish I just started with a clean slate?

Melanie Burstin Bedroom 1

Bed | Nightstand | Wall Sconce | Duvet | Draperies | Drapery Hardware | Ceiling Light

Onto the bedroom! Every guest of my home that sees my bedroom (often snooping on their way to the bathroom) says it inspires them to want to get rid of all of their stuff. I mean…okay! Not my intention but I’m not mad at it. I really wanted my bedroom to feel like a retreat. I can easily succumb to stress and anxiety so I needed this room to be really relaxing. For me, that means a less is more approach.

The bed is from my favorite team at Hedgehouse again. They are truly the nicest humans ever, and they make insanely good furniture. We started by looking at a few of the beds they already make and then tweaked them. I, of course, wanted the bed to feel Japanese so we decided on this very low to the ground number. I love the look of the white oak with a tucked-in duvet. My bedding—vintage linen in greige from Matteo—is pretty old. It was the first nice thing I ever bought for my home (aka a shared apartment I had with my best friends quite a few years back). I love that the linens are simple but add some warmth by being an off-white tone.

In this room, I really paid attention to my draperies because I’m a sensitive sleeper. I went for the West Elm Double Rod so I can have sheers for privacy and then blackout for bedtime. My bedroom is elevated off the ground so I have more privacy from the street which is nice. The blackout drapes are from Pottery Barn, and I had my tailor take them up a little.

I switched out my ceiling light again and this time went for the Dusk Lamp from Hem. I had been on the hunt for something incredible and vintage for months but couldn’t find anything just right. Then the week before my shoot, I went to a Hem pop up, fell in love and couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of this light before!

Melanie Burstin Bedroom 2

On one side of my bed, I’ve opted for a super cute low table as a nightstand. I do miss having storage but for the piece to feel low enough for my bed, I felt I had to ditch the drawer. I paired it with a vintage sconce from Amsterdam Modern that I put on a dimmer because I love mood lighting before bed.

Melanie Burstin Bedroom 4

I’m not really a fan of mixing nightstands so I decided to only have one to make room for plant life. This tree again is from Sanso. It feels like a piece of art the way they added that stick of bamboo. The pot is from Hawkings New York who has a beautiful store at Row DTLA.

Melanie Burstin Bedroom 6

Across from my bed, we have Moose’s bed. It’s from The Wolf Nest and is handmade from locally sourced deadstock fabric in Los Angeles. My favorite thing about this bed—and really all their products—is that the materials they use are so gorgeous that everything just looks like a chic floor cushion rather than a pet accessory. Above Moose’s bed, I’ve hung some art. The bottom piece is by an amazing Australian artist named Hugh Caughey. I actually have quite a few pieces by him (including the two next to my bed!). My favorite works in his collection are line drawings in neutral tones on soft papers. The piece on the top right of my gallery wall below is also his.

Melanie Burstin Bedroom 8

On the back of my bedroom door, I have a mirror from Target (that’s no longer available, unfortunately) so I can inspect my amazing fashion choices before going to meetings and dinners. I then added a stool from Japan and a gallery wall so if I ever feel so inspired to post a mirror selfie, I’ll have cute art in the background. The pieces on the top and bottom left are by Patrice Dworkin. She’s an incredible artist who’s use of texture and thin lines really inspire me. The top piece is an offshoot of her current series about the bluffs along the PCH. The piece to the center of it is by The Fourth Artist, a collaboration between Patrice and Jackie Leishman, and is a print from their Calabasas project. “Utilizing cut and torn paper, fabric and collage, painting and drawing, they create abstract imagery focused on women’s issues and the lives of women artists.” They are seriously cool. The largest piece in this gallery is a solo work by Jackie. I love her use of color! Lastly, we have an intaglio print of a shell by an old friend of mine, Amy Elizabeth Harper. Her process is fascinating if you want to learn more about intaglio printmaking.

Melanie Burstin Dining Room 7

And lastly, here’s a little vignette from my kitchen. The bowl is vintage, the vase that holds my spoons is by Blake Baudette and my vintage T-Shirt is my favorite thing I’ve ever found at a flea market. Do you remember when Emily took the whole team to the Round Top flea market in Texas? That’s where this dog piece is from. Emily was sifting through a stack of these (that I previously ignored) and she decided they were cool enough to purchase a few. I fell in love with them after that and asked her if it was okay to copy her!

Thanks so much everyone for checking out my home tour! All photos are by the awesome Tessa Neustadt because she’s my friend and I really like her photography. I hope you enjoyed it and like all my cute little details. I can’t wait to see how the rest of this year pans out. xx Mel and Moose

***Hey designers! Got a project in the LA area that you’re really proud of, hasn’t been previously published, and you think our readers would love? Send us some scouting shots and a little detail about the project to housetours@emilyhendersondesign.com. 

For more of Mel’s Makeover Takeover: Living Room Reveal | Living Room Intro

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Samantha Rae
6 years ago

One: I avidly read design blogs and so I see beautiful spaces everyday, but this is the first time I’ve been jealous of how beautiful a space is. Well done!
Two: more importantly, I love the plug for adopting over breeding! Warms my veterinary nurse heart when people with a public platform give a shout out to adoption.

Lee
6 years ago
Reply to  Samantha Rae

I think I have at least 20 tabs open now because I want to buy EVERYTHING in your space…it’s absolutely gorgeous!

I agree with Samantha – bravo for the adoption plug! Street mutts really are the best! I also have a street pup and she’s the sweetest thing (she’s currently at doggy day-care having fun because she’s basically my child).

Hannah
6 years ago
Reply to  Lee

I also have a street pup (from Oman) and she’s the bee’s knees. #adoptdontshop

For anyone in the Midwest – I highly recommend the International Street Dog Foundation!

Rachael
6 years ago

I also have a dog named Moose!

Kara
6 years ago

Kudos on all the things you reused and made into a cohesive, new design…that’s real life! I’m curious if there’s any piece you wish you could have kept from your old apartment, but just couldn’t find a spot for? Making the transition to letting go of those belongings you love but don’t need at this time in your life is always tough!

Congrats on all the changes.

Christine Farber
6 years ago

So gorgeous! Thanks for posting and for including so many of your shopping sources.

Whitney Olson
6 years ago

I definitely love that tou reused your pieces in a new space instea of starting from scratch. Real life. I also love how your apartment before photos show that you selected a normal person/basic apartment and made it outstanding through design. Nice work. Also love thefairly sinilar wood tone throughout the apartment. It is hard to pull that off sometimes without it looking boring or cold, but this is lovely.

Kara
6 years ago
Reply to  Whitney Olson

I also really loved the tonal wood throughout – definitely adds to that minimal/zen feel and shows how to do it successfully.

Katie
6 years ago

I now desperately want to declutter (by about 90%), throw out all my colourful furnishings and live a zen life… and it’s all your fault Mel Burstin! 😉 So glad you didn’t start with a clean slate – as someone else commented, that’s “real life”. Much more inspirational to show how you can work with what you’ve got xx

Clarissa
6 years ago

I love seeing your reused pieces here! I liked your previous apartment, but everything looks much more at home here. The chairs with that round table. The sofa with your custom coffee table. There’s a feeling that real life happens here, and I get a sense of the person living in this space. (You have a dog, of course a cool person lives here!) To me, your last apartment lacked that. It felt out of a magazine, and I couldn’t picture the life that was happening there. It was lovely, but it didn’t stick in my mind, and had to click back to remember. I LOVE this so much more, and it’s more inspirational to me even though many of the pieces are the same as before. 🙂

Mara
6 years ago

Great post, Mel! I recently started over, too. Your energy and enthusiasm comes through in your choices. I am happy for you that you kept and/or reused pieces you love. Sometimes we DONT have to burn it all down to find more happiness. Sometimes a dog helps, too ❤️

Shana
6 years ago
Reply to  Mara

Agree with the reuse approach! It’s so inspiring to see how items you love can be made new again in a new space. Thank you for sharing it all — especially Moose!

Laura
6 years ago

Amazing post Mel! Your new apartment is so beautiful. The minimal aesthetic is inspiring and your dog is adorable.

Kadri Silla
6 years ago

Would like to see your full kitchen tour as well!

Sarah
6 years ago

Mel’s old apartment was my most-visited bookmarked page, like, ever. Sorry for all the life changes but SQUEEEE for the new content. Love to see all the things that have been reworked, reused, and repurposed in your new space, and love to see how Mel has elevated the space. Mel’s style is totally aspirational for me–minimal but WARM and natural. Love it.

Josh
6 years ago

This is an awesome space! I’ve seen so many spaces posted lately through blogs and Instagram that have felt too cluttered and industrial/traditional for my taste. Mel, you have great talent. I love the functionality of your designs and quest to find perfection…keep removing something until you can remove no more. There is too much “more is more” mentality in design currently. Thank you for this!

Louise Adkins
6 years ago

Love the Life Sized Jenga!

Diana
6 years ago

THANK YOU this is so timely. Currently moving from 1700 SF house into a one bedroom apartment with nearly identical layout to yours (moving from Canada to New Zealand!) and the de-cluttering is intense!

I am so inspired with how beautiful my tiny new space can be! Thank you for the inspiration!!!

Probably going to copy the exact layout!

6 years ago

This is absolutely beautiful. So simple but elegant/sophisticated.

milo
6 years ago

Congratulations on so many great changes, Mel! The new place is awesome, and I love seeing parts of the old place reused in different ways!

Laura
6 years ago

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this apartment! It’s gorgeous. But MOOSE! Love him even more! (And so great that she adopted and not shopped.)

Erin
6 years ago

So incredibly calm and warm and beautiful. What a space! May you be very happy there!

Sarah
6 years ago

Beautiful! A+ designing.

JR
6 years ago

AMAZING! I love everything. So talented.

Jessica
6 years ago

Oh my goodness, Mel, I am so sorry about all the changes if you are sorry about them, but positively gleeful for us that you have done a new space. Your new place is #GOALS and really shows how you can take a “regular” space and make is extraordinarily special! So glad for us, and for the environment, that you used so many pieces from your prior place here–that’s what all of us non-designers have to do and it is so helpful to see them in a new space. I hope you share more of your new space–I’m dying to see the bathroom (rental bathrooms can be so difficult to deal with) and would love to see your suggestions (maybe in one of your etsy posts) of potential options for the narrow entry situation. Such a common problem. Loved everything, but maybe very most of all the introduction to Moose! And the adoption plug and the real life issue of dog beds and paraphernalia. Your style and aesthetic is incredible–I hope you share more posts about your dog finds. Leashes, collars, dog bowls (so many ugly ones!), food and treat containers–this seems like a perfect etsy post for you because… Read more »

Veronica
6 years ago

Can you tell us more about the record player you have (and why you chose those speakers?) I’m trying to find a record player that I can use with my Sonos speakers and struggling!

Also, THANK YOU for an apartment tour! Love seeing what Mel did with a typical LA apartment. So gorgeous (and real). It’s inspiring me to change my apartment up!

Veronica
6 years ago

Thanks so much!

Bo
6 years ago

This current Midwesterner and former East Coaster and Canadian loves the Midwest because rescue animals are standard here – almost to the point of being politically correct. As for the new digs – very pleasing aesthetically but there is something about California design that makes me long for a little more darkness color wise – black, eggplant or navy. Am I the only one to think this way?

Robyn
6 years ago

Hi Emily, it says so much about you, how warmly you speak of your former employee. Really lovely to see. Good luck to both of you!

Flo
6 years ago

I am amazed how you stayed true to your personal style, your eye for design is truly unique! Thanks for the dose of inspiration!

Sarah D.
6 years ago

Mel, your talent and new place are amazing! ❤️ Moose!!! The new dining table and bed are gorgeous. I love your collection of pottery from Blake & Japan. I’m really into repurposing the things that I love, and I’m happy that you took so many of your pieces with you. . Looking back at your previous apartment, I have 2 questions for you: why didn’t your old coffee table work in your new place and do you still have your cat(s)? I thought that glass table was cool, but maybe it was too distracting with the legs and the rug and the graphic pillow…

Jess
6 years ago

Wow, I though I NEEDED color in my life until I saw this space! Absolutely breathtaking, Mel!!!

Emmy
6 years ago

This apartment is so lovely! I can’t believe how much just those curtains in the dining area soften that corner. You have made the space so unique. Congratulations on everything, especially Moose! 🙂

I have been obsessed with that Hedgehouse shelf ever since the first post where it was featured. It is truly my dream bookcase! And the legs you added on the bottom are so good.

Ellen
6 years ago

sort of at a loss for words. i found this incredibly inspiring!

Cindy
6 years ago

This is the truth: I can’t remember the last time I lingered over a house tour the way I did this one. Your success is richly deserved! Congrats on your new life, your beautiful space, and your lovely pup.

To answer your question, I like it a LOT when I see old pieces in new spaces: how to do it, how to repurpose, how to mix with other pieces, etc. I deeply resonate with this, both practically and ethically. Bravo!

Janet
6 years ago

Hi Emily and Mel!

Love this post, and your story Mel about all the changes you have gone through is truly amazing and inspiring! Your new place is so utterly beautiful and welcoming and easy on the eyes, like a breath of fresh air! It is killing me though not to be able to see the kitchen from the other side of the cut out in the wall!! Is there by chance, any pictures of the kitchen? I would love to see them! Oh and Moose is adorable, and I am sure he will be eternally grateful for your love for him, and that you gave him a new hope and future.

Janet
JC Interiors

Susie Q.
6 years ago

I’m reading this at work and now I sorta dread going home–the place is a MESS. Oh, to have a minimal place like this…! I love the color of the wood, the cabinets, the floors. It’s gorgeous.

Andrea
6 years ago

Wow! What a year for you. Congratulations on designing a beautiful new home, successfully transitioning in you career and flourishing in your personal life. I’m so happy to read you adopted a dog rather than getting a puppy from a breeder. I love how you incorporated existing pieces and mixed them with new ones. Like your old home, I’m sure I’ll reference this post again in the future for inspiration!

Saskia
6 years ago

Hi Mel, I LOVE your home! It’s so gorgeous. Minimal, but so very warm and inviting. Even more perfect then your last home 🙂 Really surprised in a good way and I feel very inspired. Thank you!

Heather
6 years ago

Mel, your style is my favorite. What a beautiful space – so beautiful and calming. Thank you for sharing.

Heather
6 years ago

I’m going to Japan in the Fall and love all the beautiful pieces you brought back. Any recommendations on shops or neighborhoods you found yours? Beautiful space!

Samantha
6 years ago

Absolutely gorgeous and serene. Now I know why I was so drawn to Moose. She’s a street dog like our Potcake princess! Thanks for adopting and saving a life.

Paula
6 years ago

My own personal style is probably diametrically opposite to yours, but I love your space. The light is awesome! I have tried to be more minimal and less cluttered, but it doesn’t last. I’ve given up and embraced the horror vacui of my soul. So long as I stay THIS side of hoarder, I’m feeling o.k. 🙂

As for art, it’s really REALLY difficult for me to deaccession any pieces. I can’t imagine getting rid of things, but there are hard choices I’ve sometimes had to make. Of course, this is why ALL my walls are gallery walls. Ha.

Moose is a very handsome man! Thank you for choosing a rescue. Our two doxies were rescues (picked up on their last day on doggie death row in Bakersfield), and, though it can be challenging and expensive (our girl dog has ideopathic seizure disorder and has spend time in her day spa, er, the vet’s many times), it’s so important to keep living creatures from being treated like garbage. Good on you!

Karen
6 years ago

Love every single bit of this post, including the white with oak combo throughout your space (always and forever my fave—must be my Scandi blood). Your dog is GORGEOUS and very regal looking. We also have a rescue (Jack Russell terror–yeah, I spelled that right) from a high-kill shelter in Kentucky. You have the most amazing sense of positive/negative space, infused with lots of personality yet not at all cluttered. I need to learn how to do that. Your new home is my new style go-to. Brava!

Sarah
6 years ago

Thanks for sharing! I love your style and appreciate you showing us how you used your existing pieces in a new place b/c realistically almost no one has the means to buy all new pieces when moving, nor should they. I’m now motivated to also declutter and streamline my space 🙂

Shay
6 years ago

The space looks great!! I have a question about the dining chairs … Are they comfortable? Especially for a tall (6’3″) man? Like, feel good enough to linger and lean back after dinner, or sit in for a while playing games with the kids? Husband already nixed the wishbone chair. These are beautiful, just what in looking for, but scary not to be able to try first!

andrea
6 years ago

what happened to the wrought iron & glass coffee table you designed that was in your last place? i loved it!! is it for sale?

Chaz
6 years ago

Your style most closely matches my own out of the EHD team/former team, so I was sad when you were leaving. I LOVE seeing everything you do and I’m so glad you’re still contributing to the blog. This space is absolutely lovely, majorly inspired Mel!

Katie
6 years ago

This may be a silly question, but do you know where that long, black curtain rod is from? I have a similar look with an IKEA rod spanning a wide window, and it is starting to buckle and bend in the middle! I should have added a support, but it changed the look. Would love a recommendation for a sturdier rod, if anyone has one they’re happy with. Thank you!

Sarah
6 years ago

Ok. When you mentioned that you broke up with your long time boyfriend I was all NOOOO because I was worried all the gorgeous pottery would be gone. This place is gorgeous. Its so minimal and yet still so warm and welcoming. Enjoy your success and be happy!

Sabrina
6 years ago

Love your house! I also have a
Vintage record player and speakers that i love but in my case you can see all the wires… how you hide the wires in your bookcase ? Or you managed to convert the vintage record player to blutooth ?

Dimitra
6 years ago

Congratulations Mel! Your aesthetics is so cool: the japanese influences, your calming art, the use of wood . So many lovely details in your home- always a pleasure to see your space

emily
6 years ago

Gorgeous space – I had to come back again for a second look today! One question: where do you store your records? We (my husband) has a significant record collection and I’m always interested in seeing options for storing and displaying records. Thanks!

Haley
6 years ago

So gorgeous!

Also, Emily make Target bring back that mirror! I had been planning to buy it cause I figured it would be a staple type item 🙁

Judy
6 years ago

What a breath of fresh air! You have exquisite taste and I love everything you have done here. The art, the furniture, the styling, everything. And I LOVE Moose. What a beauty!

This is so refreshing to see a smaller space and the reuse of existing pieces. Thanks for showing that us living beautifully does not need a full gut job and walls moved. But where is that awesome fish ceramic??

Congratulations on your beautiful, serene work!