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We did a call-out for all your favorite trendy jeans, and so many of you suggested the same pairs over and over and over – it was quite compelling, and my team perked up. So while I was out of town, they ordered them in my size (don’t worry – we returned what I didn’t keep) and when I got home, they greeted me with a fun jean try-on. As we know, loose and baggy is still ruling supreme, skinny jeans being an immediate negative style indicator (controversial, I know, and a real bummer), and yet, as an apple-shaped lady, this is so challenging for me. It’s my dumb non-expert opinion that baggy jeans look best with smaller, more fitted tops (cropped or body suit preferred), playing with proportions, etc, but it’s just not what I’m comfortable in (both physically and not how I feel like I look best). For me, I’m not wearing a big boxy blousy top over big boxy baggy jeans, so I’m not having my moment, and that’s ok (I literally don’t take this stuff seriously, it’s just fun! But I’m not alone, it likely won’t be for long, and there are a few silhouettes that are actually working for me (the last one is my favorite). Here you go:

Quince – Bella Stretch

Blouse | Necklace | Jeans (size 26) | Shoes

I’ve been skeptical about Quince, very curious how they are disrupting the market by likely duping other brands (who are likely duping the OG designers/makers, so… ) but the price point is crazy low and the quality seems to be very high. The verdict: I really loved how soft these were with the perfect amount of stretch, but not too stretchy that it felt like they’d lose their shape in hours. And for $50, I was like, wait, what? FIFTY DOLLARS?? They felt extremely high quality to me for that price.

Blouse | Necklace | Jeans (size 26) | Shoes

I tried on both the 26 and 27 and kept the 26 (size down, I’m typically between a 27-28 depending on the week). The blue wash is really great, and the fit is mid-rise. I only kept three pairs of jeans, and this is one of them (three sounds like a lot, but you’ll see).

Pistola – Lennon High Rise Crop

Blouse | Necklace | Jeans (size 27) | Shoes

Pistola has become a favorite brand for me, and I loved these jeans because I felt good in them. They are a slimmer cut but not “skinny” (I don’t think?). They are so comfortable, an easy wear and fit my lifestyle (which is very casual).

Blouse | Necklace | Jeans (size 27) | Shoes

I probably wouldn’t tuck a shirt this far since they are higher rise and I’m shorter torsoed, but at this price point (a little over $100), I felt like they were a solid investment.

Mother – Hustler

Blouse | Necklace | Jeans (size 27) | Shoes

A LOT of you said this was a favorite of yours (and admittedly looks so good with those shoes). These fit great, with the signature Mother Stretch, and the dark wash is certainly flattering.

Blouse | Necklace | Jeans (size 27) | Shoes

With Mother, I always wore them post partum because they were so flattering and stretchy at the waist. “Bit of stretch, excellent quality, normal-sized pockets”. I really liked these and felt good in them (but was unsure that they are too “skinny”???).

La Ligne – Marilyn Mid-Rise Barrel

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There are so many things to love about fall, but as a design-obsessed person, I’m never not waiting with bated breath for the fall decor collections to drop. There’s often a cozy aesthetic with warm neutrals, but the shapes, the patterns, the new materials are always exciting to me. So since we haven’t really done a post like this in a while, we thought we’d share our favorite fall decor collections (so far) and 6 picks from each one. If nothing else, this post can serve as a feast for the eyes and inspiration. Let’s start with a real star in the “collections” game…

Lulu and Georgia

An EHD-favorite and for good reason. Lulu and Georgia toes the classic/trend-forward line pretty effortlessly if we do say so ourselves. Whenever they tease a new collection, we know we are going to be impressed and likely want one (or two) of everything. This collection was no different. If you are a neutral-toned lover who loves bold yet vintage-inspired shapes, then this is for you. Let me show you.

Keshan Nightstand | Montreal Velvet Pillow | Phaedra Floor Lamp

Take this nightstand. It has a classic feel, yet those legs and travertine top make it feel “now.” Plus, who doesn’t love a micro knob and TWO drawers? That beautiful bolster pillow definitely leans more “traditional” but also in a fresh way. I love that color combo, and it also comes in a lumbar and square. Now for that floor lamp! I don’t think I could love it more. It’s chunky but interesting, plays with materials like that dark bronze, and is just cool. It also comes in a table lamp version.

Midora Coffee Table | Omero Flush Mount Light | Pamina Dining Chair

If I know anything from my own designing experience is that coffee table shopping is hard. So when there’s a great one out there, it needs to be recognized…like this one. It’s organic brutalism at its finest, but because the tones are lighter, it doesn’t feel too bulky. Then, if you’ve been reading my posts for a minute, you know I love vintage-inspired lighting and circle cut-outs. So that flush mount and dining chair are right up my style alley. How good is that cut-out?!

CB2

We’re always excited to see with CB2 is cooking up, too, and of course, we we very happy with their offering this fall:)

Marlon Warm White and Black Twisted Leather Round Throw Pillow | Fiora Hand-Knotted Light Brown New Zealand Wool Area Rug | Melrose Oak Side Table

We LOVE circle pillows and love it even more when brands do something a little extra special with them, like this twisted trim leather one. It’s so versatile style-wise and fun without being “too loud”. Then this rug felt like a really fun departure for them! It feels a little more in line with their Goop collabs of the past, and I am very excited by it. Moody, delicate, orante, yet still neutral. Oh, then these little side tables are simply perfect (sold separately, too). Modern shape with fun details on the feet, and in a light and super versatile wood tone. Give me more dark bronze accents!

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Ok, first off, yes, I think we are calling it The Guest Cottage now. Too many people were confused about “carriage house”, wondering where this is, why it is, what it is – and everyone gets “guest cottage,” aka on our property, but not where we live, and she is old. As a reminder, we hired Tom Island, Portland’s best and most likable and enthusiastic older home inspector (or any home), to tell us what is wrong with our guest cottage. He was the original inspector when we closed on the house, and we LOVED his level of experience, expertise, and enthusiasm about our vintage property (he’s a former builder, so just a wealth of knowledge). Now, I’d say that most of what he wrote on the inspection report wasn’t a huge surprise – everything needs to be fixed or replaced – like EVERYTHING, but we do have good news at the end!!!

WAIT, WATCH THE QUICK YOUTUBE!!!

Yes, you are going to get the inspection here, but it’s WAY more fun watching on YouTube. It’s quick and fun, I promise 🙂

Now for the written report. We just screengrabbed block by block with Tom’s notes in blue.

The Roofing

The roof doesn’t actually look bad from the outside on parts of it, but over the canning room, it really is and certainly leaks a lot. My hope would be to repair, not totally replace (naturally). So we’ll see.

On the inside, you can see mold growth and lead damage (and we felt it too in the winter). It was gnarly in here!!!

The Chimney

Non-functioning chimney should go – but what if we like how it looks? It appears his report says it’s unsafe, and “falling”. And yeah, no gutters, so we have a real water management problem.

The Siding

While these photos look bad, he told us in person that the siding really doesn’t need to be replaced. Besides the rotting, the wood is strong and sure, has some holes. Since it would be so expensive to fix ll of it, our hope is just to replace what HAS to be and repaint to match.

He’s very serious in the report, but in person, he was like “yes, it needs help, but this is such great old siding that we should just fix it. We would need to custom mill the wood to replace it, which is very expensive (he said either $150 a linear foot or $15 a linear foot – somehow my brain didn’t clock the decimal placement, lol).

The Windows

We all love old windows and wavy glass, but these are in bad shape. If they aren’t cracked or missing, the wood is totally broken or rotting.

My goal/plan would be to replace the windows where they are, not move or add. The house is nicely lit, and yes, I even love the awkward window on the second floor. We actually might reduce the windows in the canning room because the big one looks out to a tall fence 2 feet away (so it provides no light and is quite the eyesore). Plus, that might be the music room (Charlie is such a good drummer, if I can brag a bit about my son), so less glass, more insulation is probably better if we do that.

The Breezeway/Covered Walkway

I think what he is saying is that the whole thing really should be replaced (ARCIFORM also told us this over and over), but we were like, so what? It’s old and rickety? It’s not like our children sleep under it. The biggest issue is that the rain from it pours onto the siding, rotting out the house. So we will definitely make some adjustments to that, and sure, if we have to replace the whole thing, we wil,l but my goal would be to repair, not replace.

Ants!

We’ve got some friendly carpenter ants. I’m not sure if you demo this out first or get a pest control person on the job – we will figure it out.

The Plumbing

Tom didn’t know how old the plumbing was, but close to 100 years old. It’s rusted through and needs to be ripped out and replaced.

Yes, the sink does need replacing, LOL. BTW, it’s a Kohler sink! I forgot Kohler had been around that long!!

My favorite quote of the inspection: “Upstairs bathroom needs new toilet”. INDEED. That’s the hole in the floor. I don’t know when there was a toilet (maybe in the 1940s?) and when it was removed (or the more daunting question…why????). The shower is wood, likely because only the wealthy could afford tile at the time. As you can imagine, it didn’t hold up well, and I’m not even sure we are going to put in a shower up here, but if we do, should we make our own tile? Collect enough vintage??? METHINKS YES.

Yeah, he wasn’t impressed with the state of the pipes..it’s all got to goooooooo.

He thought the water heater was from the 80s, which made me think, did someone live here when I was a child??? Seems so much older than that!

The Electrical

Ok, so we think the house got knob and tube electricity in the 1920s or 1940s (Isn’t that wild? Less than 100 years ago, people in rural America didn’t have indoor lighting, and now our lives are outsourced to AI robots???? TECHNOLOGY IS UNFATHOMABLE). So there is some hodgepodge electrical from that time and then after.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1670" height="1440" src="https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Emily-Henderson_Homestead_Carriage-House_Inspection-Report_14.jpeg&quot; alt="" class="wp-image-379610" srcset="https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Emily-Henderson_Homestead_Carriage-House_Inspection-Report_14.jpeg 1670w, https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Emily-Henderson_Homestead_Carriage-House_Inspection-Report_14-836×721.jpeg 836w, https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Emily-Henderson_Homestead_Carriage-House_Inspection-Report_14-768×662.jpeg 768w, https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Emily-Henderson_Homestead_Carriage-House_Inspection-Report_14

Starting an apartment complex todayBig or Small we do them all! #TeamTrinity #GAF @ Williamson, New York https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz-wViDhfBa/?igshid=4vmu3wxma6f3 …

Home improvements in Preston #homeliferenovations #homeimprovement #exterior_design #exteriordesign #render #Preston #Lytham http://HomeLifeRenovations.co.uk  pic.twitter.com/zerA37dFAA

Property Renovation Preston #homeliferenovations #homeimprovement #renovation #joinery #Bespoke #luxurylifestyle #Preston #Lytham http://HomeLifeRenovations.co.uk  pic.twitter.com/zQMh6EjJSZ

Creative Interiors Home Improvements, Property Extensions, Renovations Design & Build, Kitchen, Bathroom design & installations #Preston #Lytham #home #Renovations http://HomeLifeRenovations.co.uk  pic.twitter.com/FjQS3f5ZDP

Kitchen Plans now complete for this home improvement by #HomeLifeRenovations rendering done by Chris @kutchenhaus #kitchendesign #interiors #homeimprovement #kitchen #Preston #Lytham #Lancashire http://HomeLifeRenovations.co.uk  pic.twitter.com/US8SOqfEs6

Our #roofers installed a GAF lifetime #roofing system with Timberline HD charcoal shingles. We used Exterior Portfolio white #vinylsiding and added a beautiful custom stone accent. After the project was finished the before and after photos were stunning;… https://www.trinityhomerenovations.com/article.cfm?ArticleNumber=126 …

 

PORTLAND, Ore.—After last year’s scorching summer, how to best beat the heat is top of mind for many U.S. and Canadian homeowners, especially during prime reroofing season.

Roofs make a giant difference in keeping homes cool, especially in extreme temperatures. Metal is considered the most energy efficient roofing material available, yet there are still misconceptions among homeowners, including worries about whether metal may be too shiny or conduct heat, causing a home’s interior temperatures to rise.

Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to how metal roofs are actually designed to function. For homeowners to maximize their energy savings and stay comfortable even in extreme heat, it’s important to understand the technical details and science behind roofing material performance.

The Reflective Factor

To comprehend how roofing materials may increase efficiency, the first step is to understand the sun’s energy, which is divided into UV, visible and infrared rays. Infrared, non-visible rays make up the biggest majority, and they produce heat. UV rays (non-visible, cannot be felt, yet can cause wear and tear on building materials) and visible rays account for the rest.

While even basic, unpainted metal roofs will reflect more solar radiation than asphalt roofs, by choosing the proper colors and coatings, low-glare metal roofs reflect mostly non-visible, infrared and UV rays, the kind that produce the most heat and are the most damaging. And by emitting as much as 85 percent of solar heat gain to help keep homes cooler, even darker color metal roofs will help lower home temperatures during sizzling summer weather.

The bottom line for metal roofs is — given the type of rays they reflect — homeowners do not need to worry about their rooftops giving off a shiny glare, even in bright sunshine.

With today’s metal roofing styles that come in a variety of surface finishes, profiles, textures and substrates and high-performing paint colors, the idea that metal roofs may be too shiny and mirror-like is nothing more than a modern-day myth. Metal roofs look and perform beautiful because they work to reflect and re-emit heat caused by mostly non-visible rays.

Cool Roof Efficiency

There’s a good reason why some homeowners sometimes describe their energy costs as “through the roof” during the hot weather season. That’s because, with subpar materials and inadequate installation methods, roofs can be the least energy efficient component of any home.

Metal roofs, many of which are ENERGY STAR-qualified, also are known as “Cool Roofs.” Cool Roofs are labeled as such based on total solar reflectance and thermal emittance properties, a term that describes how much of a material’s absorbed energy is released and emitted back into the atmosphere (versus causing indoor temperatures to rise).

Cool metal roofs also can help save energy by lowering roof temperatures by as much as 50 percent. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that an ENERGY STAR labeled roof can lower roof temperatures by as much as 100 degrees F.

Installation also counts. To maximize energy savings, proper insulation and air flow and ventilation are essential in all seasons. Check building codes in your area and make sure your insulation meets or exceeds standards. Good eve and ridge ventilation systems help maintain consistent roof temperatures, no matter what the roofing material.

Choosing better roofing material and installation methods adds up to real dollars and cents: Research indicates that homeowners can save up to 40 percent on annual energy costs by selecting the right type of roof and installation practices.

The type of roof homeowners choose has a real impact on their bottom line and budgets, all year long. When it comes to practicality and performance, metal roofs simply make more sense.

 

 

Source:  Roofing Contractor