It’s hard to know what to write when there’s so much tragedy and hardship going on in the world. We don’t want to ignore but also know that a momentary pause, like a link up, is also needed. So please give your loved ones an extra hug, enjoy some fun things we are loving, click on the links to help those in need, and have a good rest of your Sunday<3
This week’s house tour might be the coziest modern cabin we’ve seen in a minute. It’s textured, warm but with just the right amount of soulful contrast. And if you are in Australia you can rent it!
From Emily: At the beginning of the pandemic I ordered 10 different activity books for the kids since we were homeschooling. Everything from science experiments, cookbooks, cooking + science, craft books, and activity books and this was by far the most popular for the whole family. All of the crafts are from recycled materials that you likely go through (cans, egg crates, yogurt cups, bubble wrap, cardboard) so we started washing and collecting them in the garage in a big tub so that when we wanted to do a craft we wouldn’t have to actually buy more supplies. The book is super well shot, the crafts are clever, easy, fun and doing them with the kids was something that I equally enjoyed doing (spoiler – I love to craft). So while school is ramping up and you might not need the extra entertainment I highly recommend this book for rainy weekends or if you want to do something to engage with your kids after school that you might actually enjoy, too.
Another “home tour” this week is the beautiful La Bionda Hotel in Begur, Spain. The design is by Quintana Partners and has an old-world flare with whimsical detailing. Every inch of this property is absolutely STUNNING, and it’s now on our bucket list of well-designed hotels to stay in. Oh, and the bright red lobby desk is holding onto our hearts tight. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
From Ajai: I like to make any space I design feel grounded, so incorporating pots and plants is a good way to do that. I love these clay vessels because of their distressing, giving them an antiqued feel.
From Mallory: I don’t know why it took me forever to order this for my apartment, but after a year of living here I FINALLY DID IT and life is good. Yes, they’re door stops. The doors to our apartment are very heavy & shut behind you, but we like to keep them open to get a cross breeze while we cook so we don’t set our smoke alarms off. We used to drag an extremely heavy chair across the entire place just to keep the door open, but now that I finally got some door stops, there will be no more chair dragging and it’s much better for everyone (especially our neighbor under us). Plus I like these because they have a cute little leather tab that adds a nice touch. Best $10 (for a 2 pack) I’ve ever spent.
Also from Mallory: I just stumbled upon these extremely cute Etsy lights and I want them all so bad.
From Jess: If you haven’t watched Bake Squad I HIGHLY recommend it. It’s fun, uplighting, and just full of an insane amount of creativity from professional bakers.
Also From Jess: Ok I know it’s not fall yet and crowding around the fire is NOT top of mind but I picked up this very good log holder from Target. It’s perfectly simple and modern AND has a removable base plate to easily clean up messes. I’m planning to use it in a slightly unconventional way so it can be used in more ways than one!
From Caitlin: Greetings from Vermont! I’m doing MOH duty in my childhood best friend’s wedding this week – over two decades of friendship!!! – but I GOTTA show y’all something one of the other bridesmaids turned me on to: this volumizing round brush blow dryer. Guys, this thing is AMAZING at getting you some blowout-style hair without the hassle of juggling a brush AND dryer separately. She let me borrow it on our very cold, very damp bachelorette trip to upstate NY and I used it again this week in a super-rainy and uber-humid climate – and y’all, I’m just BLOWN AWAY (pun UNintended but very appropriate) by the difference it makes in how smooth and shiny and bouncy my hair looks and feels without any additional hot tools. Highly recommended!!!
We all know this has been a very hard week. Emily wrote this post about the ways we can all help the Afghan people and the refugees that are here and coming. But we can’t forget about Haiti and the horrible earthquake that has devasted it. Here’s a great article from NPR that gives a bunch of ways to help and/or get involved.
That’s all for this week folks!! Thanks for tuning in 🙂
Opening Image Credit: Design by Emma O’Meara | Photoy by Nikole Ramsay | via The Design Files
If it’s okay for me to also say (because wherever we can we should give help/money toward helping those caught right now trying to get out of Afghanistan in this crisis) – if you know any veterans of the war in Afghanistan, reach out there also. This is a very hard time for them, feeling that their sacrifices (time, friends who died in country and from suicide later, family – not all marriages survived and their time forfeited from children will never be recovered, limbs, mental abilities, concern for ‘blast brain’/CTE now and in future, cancer from weapons burns, ptsd from what they saw and did there, dealing with alcoholism or drug addiction and homelessness from trying to cope) were for nothing. They don’t need platitudes, they need time and sitting with and love and possibly professional treatment. As do the families of those who lost loved ones in, and after they returned from, the war. My brother, for example, was already in a precarious position and I am scared this will push him over the edge.
Thank you for this. I’ll add that I hope people also check in on those they know who have worked there (NGOs, US government workers, journalists, etc.) it has been a rough week. The constant stream of messages I’m getting from people I know who are trapped there is just heartbreaking and taking a mental toll. Every person I know is getting the same messages from those they worked with when there. It leaves you feeling helpless and angry for not being able to do more, guilty for not being there, and unable to sleep.
Caitlin – Revlon makes a much more affordable version of the integrated round brush blow dryer, and yes, it’s the best at home blow out ever!
https://www.target.com/p/revlon-salon-one-step-hair-dryer-and-volumizer-black/-/A-50854658
Mallory – I love those door stops. I was inspired to see what Etsy has, and they have so many cute wooden door stops. Now to choose one. I also love those little wicker lampshades. I need to find a home for a trio of them.
Love the house tours. It’s so fun to see a variety of styles. It gives me confidence that if I focus on things I love combined with a good layout and flow through the house, pretty much anything goes.
Thank you for ways to continue to help when situations around the world can feel hopeless.
Hey, Caitlin – I’ve been thinking about posting a tech issue, and this looks like a good time: early in the comments so it might be seen.
Ever since you started the like and dislike feature, many of my “likes” (about 25% of them) have registered more than once. I just pressed the PLUS sign on Cris S’s post about veterans, and the count went up by two. There have even been a few times when it went up by 3 or 4 instead of just one. I suppose it’s possible that other people could be liking the same post at the exact same time, but it happens so often that I think it’s a glitch. I don’t post often, but I do read daily and I click “like” on every post that I like. (I don’t “dislike” posts often enough to have ever noticed this happening with the minus signs.)
I’m pretty different from most people who read here (68 years old and live in a small mill town, to name a couple of ways) so it really isn’t representative of your audience if my views get extra “points”. Hope it’s easy to fix!
I think it actually is other people liking at the same time (or before you’ve refreshed the page; then it refreshes when you like).
Showing a higher total after refreshing does make sense. Thanks, Dana!
Forgot to mention that I use a Chromebook; they have their own peculiar ways of operating.
I think it’s multiple people at the same time.
I have a similar blow dry brush! Life. Changing. Enjoy your silky tresses!
I have a cheaper (Revlon) version of that brush dryer and it’s amazing! I was doing it all the time when was actually in the office and my hair looked so good. It was like that episode of New Girl when Jess and CeCe get blowouts … of course I’ve only used it twice since March 2020 but it really is as close to a blow-out as you can get without going to a salon!
What isn’t mentioned in the article about the house in Australia is the carpet! We recently bought a condo and the HOA rules require carpet in the upstairs units. Emily, please do a post about carpet and how to choose it. Its use is on the rise and for some of us there is no other choice 🙁