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I’m currently caught in the “why would anyone live anywhere else” fever dream that is “Oregon in The Summer”, and while I intellectually know there is no perfect place to live, right now, up here, it’s magical (and has been since March – 2025 was a real pretty one). This backyard is certainly serving up some particularly beautiful vibes, and we are in full hosting season. Today I wanted to do a full documentation of the backyard landscaping process, and get into the details for all of us landscape design nerds. Like most things in design – it looks a lot easier than it is, and the more expertise and experience involved, the better product you get. As you know, for this project we hired Dennis’ 7 Dees, a local (and booming) family landscaping company that now manages all our landscaping maintenance as well (besides Charlie mowing the lawn…when we are in town). They designed, planned, executed, and now care for our yard with total seamlessness – not once did I feel like I didn’t know what was happening, when, or that they were too busy with other jobs to take care of us. (Read til the end for some hot tips on working with design professionals.)

January – OOF IT WAS SAD

Of course, there are more “before befores” from 2019 (when we bought the property) and 2021 (aka the year of the mud before phase 1 began). But this was in January 2025, which is always a sad time of year (and before we had proper maintenance because we thought we could handle it, so the leaves were clearly a problem).

As you know, the sports court was way too big – I even mentioned this in the reveal 2 summers ago. And then the area underneath the cherry trees was fine in the summer, but just not working as well as we wanted (that’s the area between the flagstone path and the sports court). So this was the main area we were working to make better, along with the outdoor grill area (which was done by my brother’s company).

The Overall Landscaping Plan

We worked with Eric Hagberg from Dennis’ 7 Dees, whom we loved – he had so much experience, expertise, and was so flexible – listening to us, and editing as things came up. He came up with the first plan and accompanied budget, and presented it to us (I believe this was in November).

Landscaping Plan Number #1

We really loved it, but needed to scale it back for budget purposes. So we reduced the amount of trees, plants, stonework, and lighting (all the pink), and totally nixed the back area near the paddock, seeding for clover instead. One thing we were more sensitive to this time around was planting enough evergreen plants, not just perennials. I love echinacea and all these gorgeous wildflowers, but winter can be really sad here (sadder than my former California lady brain knew), so this time we asked for 70% evergreen plants, 30% perennials.

Plan #2 – Reduced Plants, Lighting And Square Footage

He sent through the edited plan, which reduced the scope by almost in 1/2. Sure, we still had demo, prep soil, irrigate, run lighting lines, but the scope of planting, stonework, irrigation, and lighting helped reduce the cost substantially. I mean, it’s obvious, but the less you do, the less it costs.

The Plant Palette

Here was the palette they had planned, which I was in love with and all came from their garden centers (which have an incredibly robust selection). While in the past I have been picky with plants, needing to love each one and feel like stylistically it was “me,” this time around I shifted my mentality. My goal was to have a cohesive color palette, sure, (no random pops that didn’t make sense), but otherwise all I wanted was for the experts to choose things that really thrived easily here, in Oregon, under our conditions. I didn’t want to make suggestions that would override the expertise. For instance, I never thought that I, Emily Henderson, would choose hydrangeas (I had wrong judgements about them, ok?), but as you can see below – they are all over our yard and so beautiful. I am a full hydrangea girly now!! I really, really trusted Eric that they would plant plants that loved living in Oregon and would be easy to manage/tend to and beautiful year-round. They understood that we like a less manicured look, less structure, lots of levels and layers (I said no to orange, sorry, and nothing oddly tropical or like red roses). I really let them do their job because everything they showed me was so aligned with what we wanted. We were speaking the same language, which is really what you want from any designer.

The Schedule

From Eric: “Originally, we were thinking this would be a 4-week project. But because we’ve doubled the crew size to 6 guys, it’s likely to only take about 2 weeks”. OK!!!! Let go!

• Concrete Demo: Feb 17-20
• Green Demo: Feb 21
• Stone Patios/Paths: Feb 24-25
• Soil/Grading: Feb 26
• Irrigation: Feb 27
• Plants: Feb 28
• Irrigation: March 3
• Lighting: March 3
• Bark/Clover Lawn Seed: March 4 (we’ll come back in April, after freezing to apply the seed) 

They ended up extending it a bit, which worked better for us so that we could be around to capture more of the content. But we were seriously thrilled with the speed and manpower that went into it. Again, this whole “booking in fall and starting in winter” strategy strangely sped things up because it’s the slowest time of year, and a company of 7 Dees’ size has multiple crews they employ – more manpower and time to spend on us!

The Prep Work

This clearly wasn’t a DIY situation, at least not for us. They moved fast, and that chunk of the sports court was gone in a matter of days.

The Hardscape – Flagstone

Next came the laying of the paths and landing pads (which they drew out with water-soluble spray paint). If you think it’s just putting down stones (like we did), it’s clearly not. So much prep work underneath the stones as well as leveling and grading. But still, they were so fast.

The dirt/puddle areas are where the plants would go. Then, we had the landing pads and the stepping stone paths to the sports court.

Now, if you haven’t done flagstone before, know that this is a massive investment (ours cost over $20k). We could have used pea gravel, but it’s a lot messier and we wanted it to be cohesive with the rest of the walkway around the house. In Oregon, due to the rain, you really want solid hardscape to walk – you can’t use DG like you can in CA. So this was a massive investment and something we knew we needed the experts to execute.

The Planting Phase

Eric, our designer, created the plant selection that we tweaked together. Again, it’s a combination of perennials and evergreen plants and in all the tones that I love. One of the perks with working with them is that since they also have three garden centers in Portland (well, one in Vancouver), they call pull from them as well as place the bigger orders. They are also great resources as a home gardener without a designer – their inventory and selection is huge and so well cared for.

The plants went in so fast, I couldn’t believe it. Brian and I were watching from inside like it was a movie – every day there was so much progress. So many people working so hard to make our yard beautiful. We felt so grateful. After planting, they added irrigation and the lighting, as well as a French drain with river rocks along the sports court because it was flooding a lot (remember that disturbed soil doesn’t drain as much as established soil – a fun fact I’m learning over and over).

The June Reveal – 2 Months Ago

The other day I realized I’ve never shown you the full front of the house – nor did you get the play-by-play of the 10 million decisions we made to get here (a huge shout-out to ARCIFORM – my goodness, do they know how to nail classic design so well). Every time I drive up, or anyone does, really, it’s hard not to be impressed with how truly pretty this view is (far more of a grownup house than I ever imagined I’d own). But it wasn’t always beautiful or charming. Like many 100-year-old houses, it started simple/basic, then over the years people made repairs and judgment calls – both good and bad. So today I’m very excited to walk you through what it looked like when we bought it, what we did to it to make it this classic, charming home we have now (PLUS, what two things I have yet to add to it when the budget magically arrives, lol).

These were all of the things we knew needed some help with the house and curb appeal…

…and these were all of the things we did to achieve that:) Now, come read alllll about it!

The Addition – A New Sunroom

First things first, ARCIFORM designed my beloved sunroom to help the house look like it had a wraparound covered porch. It looks incredibly original. Thank you, Anne! The house was totally fine, a classic 4-square (where the main living areas are on the first floor, all bedrooms above). Of course, they had added a wing in the 60s, so already that style had changed, but the addition of the sunroom created the sense of this wraparound porch, which just added so much charm.

I designed the sunroom windows to marry the original diamond windows (upstairs) with the newer classic grid. The only reason we didn’t do all the new windows like this was due to design and budget constraints. The sunroom windows are absolutely gorgeous, IMHO, and so having these and the entry window be custom-made felt like the right move.

The Hefty Porch Railing

We went round and round about the porch railings. Classic white wood railings felt basic and, dare I say, boring to me, but I couldn’t find an alternative that made sense (that wasn’t going to be custom welding metal work, which is crazy expensive). Ultimately, I trusted ARCIFORM that this was the appropriate thing to do for the age and style of the home. As far as the size, we wanted them to be a height that people could rest their butts on (we landed at 28″ high), but I thought that these were going to be too chunky, thick, bulky. I was so wrong. ARCIFORM kept telling me that with the scale of the house, we’d need big posts and big railings. They were right!! I love how they look. Our railings are 6″ wide on top with 3″ vertical square railings and 7″ square posts.

Ceiling Beams And Rafter Tails

I learned a ton about classic porches thanks to ARCIFORM. We chose a tongue and groove ceiling with beams that were 18″ apart, with custom rafter tails to match the original roofline rafter tails (which we tried to replicate on the gazebo but were floored by the pricing – $$$$$$). The pretty carved detail at the end is, of course, gorgeous, but very expensive. Here, you’d have to do it to match. Now I thought we were leaving these rafter tails exposed (so you could see them from the front of the house, with the gutters going on top of them) but they were covered with a piece of wood (is that called skirting when it’s up there, too?) that covered them and then they attached the gutter to that piece of wood. Ultimately, I didn’t have them redo it, but it was something that bummed me out at first. They said that the gutters worked much better this way, and with the rain in Portland, I respected that as we want the best water management here. Now I’ve gotten used to it and heck, maybe all the exposed rafter tails would have been too busy throughout the entire property? Just Google “exposed rafter tails” if you want to see what I’m talking about – it’s a different look.

Cement Stairs And Black Metal Handrails

Another two details that I sweated over were the cement stairs and the black handrails. We were told over and over that we can’t have wood railings or wood stairs exposed to the rain – they are sure to rot (maybe not for 10-15 years, but still!). So I looked on Pinterest for hours/days/weeks of what we could use that wasn’t wood, and I either found crazy decorative custom stuff (too $$$) or just simple/boring. I was both overwhelmed and underwhelmed, so I designed them to be thin and wide and hoped that they would just go away. I hoped that the house was so pretty that these didn’t need to be anything special. Thank god, I was right about this because even though they were simple, they still cost thousands of dollars since we needed 10 of them around the house at every entrance/exit (by code). Same with the cement stairs – cement is so boring! But because we had so many entrances (front door, mudroom, our bedroom, and the kitchen), we couldn’t really do brick or anything special due to budget. Just the cement was $10k, so imagine had we chosen to do real masonry…ANYWAY, that’s all to say in retrospect. These are the things you don’t notice – the house is so pretty, and these simple and classic elements just disappear in a good way.

Vertical Wood Skirting + Horizontal Siding

We chose real lap siding (not hardy board), which I think we did because it was a more authentic thing to do, but we did our garages in hardy board and you can barely tell the difference, TBH. Our siding is a 5″ reveal (so I’m assuming it’s 6″ lap siding, where the top of the first inch is covered by the next board). Super classic. Now, the vertical skirting underneath the porch threw me at first, but it makes sense as it contrasts with the horizontal siding nicely.

What About Copper Gutters?

Oh, you bet we thought about copper gutters, but the price difference was pretty nuts. Now I don’t remember for sure, but I think our white vinyl gutters were around $5k and the copper ones would have been $30k (or something like that – a CRAZY Difference). And the more we thought about it, the more we actually felt that our bright white house didn’t want copper gutters – that they’d get too much attention. I love seeing them on Chris Loves Julia’s house (and they broke down the process so well) as their house is so classic and moody and their patinated gutters look so good. But for our white house, having you not notice the gutters really works. Of course, the copper sconces really pop in a way that I love (and I love how they work so well with the brick landing pad, which is an architectural call back to the kitchen patio).

On Mixing Stone And Brick Hardscape

The hardscape gets complicated, but the reason we did a herringbone brick anywhere on the property in the first place was because of the covered walkway on the north side of the house, which was long and skinny. It felt like it needed to be a linear pattern (not organic like flagstone). And doing a rectangular flagstone didn’t sound pretty enough to me. The reason we didn’t do herringbone brick everywhere was due to the extreme cost of both the material and the install (which is saying a lot because the stone is also shockingly expensive). So we decided to mix the finishes – a more formal herringbone brick and casual/rustic bluestone. My philosophy was and remains that with older houses like ours, there is something charming about not having all the finishes match or be the same. My feeling is that over time, people in different eras added on different style choice

Happy Sunday, everyone! All we have to say is we hope you are ready for A LOT of really exciting content coming your way. We’re almost too giddy about it:) And those who signed up for the newsletter know about a big one. Anyway, until then, here are this week’s links…

This week’s house tour was co-designed by EHD Simon Haag and Studio Manifold. It’s a warm but stunning midcentury modern farmhouse in Australia’s Yarra Valley. A perfect blend of organic materials and modern design. Oh, and Jess dream floor lamp she talked about in our 2023 “Best of Decor” awards post🙂

From Emily: I was giddy when I put on this sweatsuit jumper that fit so well, was so comfy, and oddly flattering. I have been slow to the recent resurgence/love for Abercrombie (TBH I couldn’t afford them the first time around, and this time I just at times feel too old for some of their viral pieces), but while trying on this viral dress (Emerson), I ordered this jumper and LOVE the cut. The legs are wide, without being too voluminous or baggy. The waist cinches without being too tight or feeling like you are overflowing the elastic. The arms are bat-like, allowing a lot of space and creating volume there, which in turn makes the waist look smaller. I know it’s still warm, but at night and mornings I am wearing this and feeling very cozy and cute.

Oh, and in case you missed the most satisfying (and fun) YouTube video, here you go:)

From Gretchen: My home seems to be a dust war zone these days. No matter how many times I break out the feather duster or vacuum, the bunnies always return. And they’re BAD bunnies. It’s a problem I must fix because I’m just getting too grossed out every time I find a new one. I moved my bed into the larger of the two rooms the other day, and HOLY COW–it looked like I’d been collecting years of dirty dryer lint under there. No thank you! The internet told me that an air purifier might be my best solve, so I bought two that came highly rated (one for my bedroom and one for my living area). I haven’t had enough time to really see if they’re the dust defiers I’m looking for, but I will say so far I’m impressed with their simple design, affordable price point, and overall quietness. I’ve just been leaving it running and forget I even have it on most days. I’ll have to come back with an update after it’s had enough time to work its magic and will let you know if the dust settles or scurries away–hoping for the latter!

From Marlee: Let me admit something that I’m not proud of – for a majority of my life, I rarely drank water – only at restaurants (when someone is filling it up for me) or when taking medication. My life has changed twice since then. First, when I was gifted a Hydro Flask with a straw in college (I guess you drink more water when you don’t have to unscrew a lid). Second, (and most recently), when my BF gifted me a Yeti 42 oz tumbler (similarly, I guess I drink more water when I have to fill it up fewer times throughout the day – he knows me so well). I KNOW THIS ISN’T REVOLUTIONARY. Obviously, drinking water is very important, and I’m generally more hydrated in my mid-twenties than I was at 18. But if you’re like me and always thought you would never fall for the adult sippy cup MASSIVE water bottle with a straw and handle propaganda, I’m here to tell you that the tumbler-obsessed side of the internet was onto something there. Waking up and chugging ice water in the middle of the night has never felt more refreshing. On a serious note, I feel like the Yeti does a pretty good job of keeping water cold and it does fit in cupholders – it’s not completely leak proof, but the most it ever leaks is the amount of water that can be held in the straw which I don’t mind – I just don’t keep it in bags (it’s too big for that anyways. I also got a Yeti mug because I drink my coffee incredibly slow and it goes cold before I’m halfway done with it. Now I’m fully hydrated AND fully caffeinated:)

From Arlyn: It doesn’t matter if it’s the middle of summer or the dead of winter, I am someone who needs to sleep with air blowing on my face and body. That said, I take my room fans very seriously. In our move two years ago, our fairly good tower fan was tragically lost (R.I.P.) due to a tumble, and we had been using some cheapo $30 version that used to be in our guest room. When that one started making weird clicking mechanical sounds, I quickly retired it to a neighbor willing to take a look inside for this amazing upgrade. After tons of research, I landed on this one from Dreo. It’s been about three months of ownership, and I feel comfortable recommending it genuinely. It’s strong without blowing you away, has tons of bells and whistles that you can control from your phone or via the provided remote, and it looks decent enough (it even comes in a pretty coppery color, but I just went with silver). If you’re tired of sweating in your sleep this summer (or upcoming winter haha), this is IT.

From Mallory: I initially put a white rug in my living room because I desperately needed one upon move-in, and didn’t know the design direction of the space, and I always figured I could just layer a rug on top of it. But the area is SO high traffic (like you literally walk from the street straight onto the rug because there’s no real entryway), and it was getting real nasty. So I remember Caitlin and Arlyn had raved about The Little Green Machine, so I thought I’d give it a try. YOU GUYS, IT WORKS SO WELL. I have a wool rug, so I try not to get it soaking wet, but you can control the sprayer and it suctions the water right out. I could not recommend it more!!

From Jess: I’m sure a ton of you listen to Good Hang, Amy Poehler’s feel-good podcast, but in case you haven’t, this past week’s episode was maybe THE MOST feel-good so far. The guests were Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer. Their show Broad City was Amy’s production company’s first real project, so the closeness and admiration are very real and very apparent. It felt impossible not to smile and laugh the whole time, which, my god, is a real gift right now. Anyway, I might listen again:)

From Caitlin: I was looking at yesterday’s post (of Abercrombie’s viral Emerson collection, ICYMI) and I realized that I’d never sung the praises of my favorite Mary Jane-style ballet flats. I grabbed these last year (in blush tan, though I wish I’d also grabbed them in black!) and they’ve become a staple in my wardrobe – they’re preternaturally comfortable, didn’t require a ton of breaking in, and that strap is just too freakin’ sweet. I wore them this week to dinner with Jess, Mal, Arlyn, Velinda, Veronica, Julie, and Bowser (yes, we EHD gals are actually the best of friends in real life too!!!) and felt super sturdy on my feet, even after a few glasses of wine. If I were going to invest in one ballet flat as we head into fall, this would be the one I’d pick!

That’s it for today and again, get ready for a VERY good design week coming up. xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: My New Prop Garage Reveal – Including IKEA Shelving (Non-Spon) And A Lot Of Vintage Collections

Earlier this summer, I stepped into an Abercrombie location at the Christiana Mall in Delaware. This was not the Abercrombie of yore – there were no dark lights, no overpowering scent of cologne, no ear-splitting bass. Nary a shirtless teen in sight! On the contrary: this was the new Abercrombie. The 2025 version. The transformation was made evident when a young tween, dragged in by her early 40s mother and wholly uninterested in every dress in front of her, gestured to me, a 33-year-old woman minding my own business, and said, “This store is for people like her.”

“Her,” in this case, means adults. Grown-ups. (The horror!!!!) We grew up, and Abercrombie grew up with us. Gone are the layering tanks, the popped collars, the micro-shorts, the air of exclusivity. Instead, you’ll find your local Abercrombie stocked with modest midi-length dresses, comfortable jeans, athleisure with built-in bras, and easy throw-on-and-go basics at wallet-friendly prices. WHO KNEW?! Well, I did – and that’s why I forced the team to try on and review Abercrombie’s Viral Best Selling Dress, the Emerson collection. I’m convinced that this style looks good on everyone (you can be the judge below!) and it’s offered in a variety of shapes, cuts, lengths, and patterns, meaning that there is an Emerson for every body. (I mean that literally, too – sizing runs from 000-24 and regular, petite, and tall lengths are offered. They’re not perfect, but Abercrombie is far more inclusive than other major brands out there today.) ANYWAY – you ready to see what these grown-up adults think of their new dresses?

Emily

The A&F Emerson Linen-Blend Puff Sleeve Midi Dress | Flats

Dress Size: Small/Regular
My Height: 5’4″
Thoughts: When things go viral, I’m curious for sure – is it really that good? Would it work on my body? Since I have larger ladies and a short torso, I really thought that the fitted bodice would crawl up and make me look pregnant (true story for all the Reformation dresses designed like this), but I was so pleasantly surprised by the structure of this dress! I really love it (with one caveat). It’s comfortable, drapes really well, obviously the sleeves are flattering, and the bodice slimming and just so easy to wear (shout out to the alllllll the various patterns). My only issue is that I only have one bra that has wide enough straps and a low enough back to not be seen. I actually think it’s best to not wear a bra with this dress, but I’m not terribly comfortable doing that. The square neck is very wide, and it’s not that the back is super low it’s that my supportive bras just have a thicker strap that does ride up higher. I bought these cakes, but they didn’t arrive in time. So I’m keeping this dress (I bought it in the poplin, too, but prefer the linen, so I returned that one). I know we are in mid-July, so buying a linen midi dress might feel “end of season,” but the sale price of this is an incredible deal (and it’s too hot to buy fall right now!). I’m sure the other ladies will say this, but if you are in between sizes, size down – I’m in between small and medium in most things right now (I really wish the world would get itself together and agree on a universal sizing), and bought a small, which fits great. I was prepared to say “cute dress, not for me” but I’m excited to announce that even if you are apple shaped, with a bigger bosom, this dress is very flattering and makes me feel good (just beware of the bra needs).

Gretchen

Sunglasses | Purse | The A&F Emerson Poplin Puff Sleeve Midi Dress | Shoes (similar)

Dress Size: Large/Tall
My Height: 5’9″
Thoughts: Consider me a fan of Abercrombie’s resurgence! Gone are the days of me rocking a moose-embroidered, long-sleeved babydoll top to 3rd period (thankfully). Now, I’m wearing puffy sleeves and flowy skirts to wine country, baby! We’ve graduated, and I like it. Especially this style of dress; big puffy sleeves, a square neckline, and a tiered skirt that hits just right at the waist. I was smitten with this cute wine and cheese pattern on the fabric, which is admittedly a little too on the nose to wear wine tasting (what I’m doing in this picture), BUT so many strangers (okay, two) came up to me and told me they loved the dress! So I consider that a win and have plans to wear this piece other places, too. I wasn’t totally sure about the sizing, so I tested a variety, and really I just wish they sold a medium-and-a-half. The medium fit me super well in the waist/ribs, but squished the girls down in a weird way. The large fit best in the chest but is looser than I would like in the waist. I went with the large tall (I’m 5’9″) over a regular because I think a longer midi skirt looks better on me. Overall, I’m pretty pleased with this dress and think the quality is great, especially for the price point.

Jess

The A&F Emerson Tie-Strap Mini Dress | Jelly Flats

Dress Size: Small/Petite
My Height: 5’4″
Thoughts: What I will say first is that it is an extremely cute dress that doesn’t require my size C-cup breasts to wear a bra, and since it doesn’t have a fitted skirt, I can wear whatever style underwear my heart could desire (granny, duh). The pattern is so sweet, it’s lined, and overall, the quality feels so good. I chose a petite length since it’s a “mini” dress (though, I don’t think it’s all that mini) and was afraid the regular would have hit me in an awkward spot. Oh, and it was a bit of thing to get on because it’s a pullover, but once you’re in, it’s so comfortable and you feel secure! But as truly cute as it is and think it looks on me, it’s just not my style. I sort of figured as much when this style was chosen, but as my mother always told me, “Just try it on, you never you and you might be surprised.” However, since I know I just wouldn’t wear it enough, I’m going to return it. This is a dress that’s much more “Jess”:)

Caitlin

Left: The A&F Emerson Linen-Blend Puff Sleeve Midi Dress + Flats | Right: Mila Dress + Sandals

Dress Size: Large/Regular
My Height: 5’8″
Thoughts: I’ve been screaming about Abercrombie for TWO WHOLE YEARS, and it’s about time my team started paying attention!!! The Emerson line is a total breeze to wear – it’s the epitome of the “throw on and go” dress to me. Everyone looks good in it, they’re appropriate for nearly every occasion (church! Antiquing! Farmer’s market! Parent/teacher conference! Thanksgiving dinner!), and honestly…they’re pretty fun and princess-y to wear. I love the pockets, I love that my 36Fs fit inside (I’m bra-less here, with room leftover!), and I love the variety of cuts and patterns. If none of the current pieces are doing it for you, never fear: they drop new pieces every season.

And while we’re talking Abercrombie: here’s the Mila dress I’ve been yappin’ about all summer! ICYMI, I’ve been on a “shop small or not at all” kick in 2025…and it was going great, until I tried this dress on. It’s simultaneously structured-yet-breezy, supportive enough up top that I can still go bra-free (praise be!!!), and I ADORE the cut of the straps – it covers up my armpit folds, or lumps, or whatever those weird pieces of skin between my boob and my armpit are called. I wear this one at least once a week – it’s just SO easy and flattering. If the Emerson cut isn’t doing it for you, give the rest of the dresses a look – they have some great basics at rock-bottom prices.

Mallory

The A&F Mila Stretch Midi Dress | Sandals

Dress Size: Small/Regular
My Height: 5’7″
Thoughts: Imagine how confused I was when I opened up this blog post in the backend and saw everyone’s Abercrombie dress that did NOT look like the one I ordered!! Caitlin raved about this dress, which is how we came up with the idea to do an Abercrombie dress try-on, so I thought we were going with that one, but JOKES ON ME!! I don’t know what happened. But this is what I ordered and I LOVE IT, so I’m gonna review it anyway (lol this is the funniest thing that’s ever happened to me on the blog). Let’s get into it, though. This dress comes in a few different simple colors, and this really fun pattern too. The quality is shockingly good – there’s a bodice that’s super flattering but isn’t tight and uncomfortable (I don’t know how they do it). I was super impressed with the fit (I got a small). But wait – I saved the best part for last – IT HAS POCK

In an age of 24-hour room makeovers and perfect homes on social media, I want to remind you it’s okay to decorate slowly, wait for things you love to go on sale, and not feel the pressure to rush to make your entire house feel finished. And yes, this might sound hypocritical coming from the girl who’s doing a one-month living room makeover with AllModern (which I’m SO excited to show you) – but this makeover led to a great conversation with my roommate about our decorating mentalities, and it was super eye-opening to me. I realized there are two major camps when it comes to decorating…let me explain.

As designers/design enthusiasts, many of us spend years shopping for things we love and collecting them in hopes we’ll find a spot for them later (because we usually do). So, for me, when I moved into a space, I already had a fairly large inventory of vintage, home decor, furniture, and art. And these collections can grow FAST since it’s our hobby and our life’s joy (well, other than family, friends, and those kinds of important things). I can only really speak for myself, but I know many of you will relate to this: generally, my approach to decorating is to put up the things I’ve collected and love – even if it’s not totally right for the space. I just know that I could (and will) swap anything out later if and when I find a piece that’s more perfect. And then, in order to make the existing pieces I have work in the room (even if it’s just for now), I’ll likely purchase more pieces to make the room cohesive because I just want the room to feel finished. And thus, the home decor collection grows, and random pieces start flying in and out of the house at a rapid pace. I personally struggle to relax in my home if it feels like it’s unfinished or lacking personality – so while I’m partially this way because of my job, there’s also a lot of incentive for me beyond my profession that makes me want to decorate quickly. If this sounds like you, welcome to the fast decorators club.

Now I’m sure you can guess where this is going, but the other group is comprised of the slow decorators. And there might be some crossover here: slow decorators also collect items over time and decorate their spaces to be livable when they move in, but the mindset from there on is a bit different. This group can include people who might not be as invested in design, people who love design but just might not want to invest in the space they’re living in yet, or people who really love design and want to invest in their space but are more intentional about doing it the right way. So many people I know fall into this camp (and it’s because it makes a ton of sense). This group likes to be intentional and slowly collect the perfect pieces, for the right prices, and they plan out exactly where it will go (which means in the meantime they might be living without art on the walls, a side table, etc). They don’t want to invest and go through the hassle of bringing stuff in and out if a piece isn’t totally right or if they don’t see longevity in it.

Now don’t worry – you don’t have to choose one group. There’s a lot of crossover between these imaginary camps of people I just made up – so don’t think you have to be boxed into one camp or the other – but generally, this is where I realized my roommate and I differed. Since this is my job, I will always invest in furniture, decor, or art pieces I genuinely think are awesome and love because I don’t mind the hassle of swapping them if they don’t work out (as long as it can be done sustainably). I know I can always sell the pieces, put them in another project or give them away to friends or family (plus as a designer/decorator/content creator it’s good to have a lot of variety in the styling of your projects – so why not take a risk, try a trend or do something that might not end up living in your home forever?) And especially when you create content, you want to give the people something fresh! new! risky! fun! scroll stopping! It’s a very specific mentality to have – I know – so this conversation with my roommate was a good reminder for me and hopefully for you too that it’s okay if every single detail in the house isn’t fully done and perfect right this second (which I know we all can feel that pressure from the internet, clients, people coming over, or whatever factor it may be). Decorate on your own timeline and do what feels right to you.

Thanks for reading my rant. Let’s get to the part where I share some pieces that can make your space feel more dialed in. AllModern’s Black Friday In July sale is REALLY GOOD (they have up to 70% off select items), so I’m sharing the picks that I think are awesome for both the fast decorators and slow decorators. Whichever camp you’re leaning into right now (because yes, it can also change depending on your mood and time in life), it’s always great to get good design for a good price, and these pieces will really make your home shine and give it the upgrade that you might be looking for. I’m breaking it out by price point so you can choose your adventure on how much you want to invest in your home at this time. And since my living room makeover is in partnership with AllModern, I’m excited to share some of the pieces I recently received and can give you my genuine thoughts and reviews on (and everything came super quickly, which is a bonus for the fast decorators like me!)

Small & Simple Home Upgrades

A drink table can save you the daily annoyance of sitting on your chair or sofa that’s slightly too far away from the coffee table – trust me, it makes a big difference in the livability of your space! The best part is they’re generally pretty affordable, so you can make yourself more comfortable for not a lot of dough. I love this table that’s on sale right now. Plus, I personally just got the Walt end table, and I am so impressed with the weight and sty

Drink Table

Here’s an example of a skinny drink table styled out in Brady’s old apartment:

End Table

This end table is really great for the same problem, but it’s specifically great with a sofa because it can slide under the bottom of the couch!

Fluted Tray | Black Tray

Another fun piece to add (that I’m also currently shopping for) is a tray for a coffee table. They make your little trinkets look more intentional and your home look less messy. This one is awesome (I have actually one that’s super similar), and this black one is also really sleek.

Medium-Sized Home Upgrades

This next category is full of items that are great quality and really feel solid and take up a bit more space. In my living room makeover, I’m using a good amount of stone and marble materials (shoutout to my dream coffee table for pushing me in this direction although it is unfortunately not on sale currently – sorry!!!), and they’re SOLID. Like, so heavy but in a really good way. I also snagged this travertine side table, and I just love setting stuff down on these tables because I know they’re not going anywhere. They’re certainly not cheap because marble and travertine are expensive materials, but I found this awesome end table which comes in a ton of colors at a pretty reasonable price point.

Marble End Table

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I am a new person. Transformed! The fact that there aren’t more before/after shows for the “chronically disorganized” (me!) is a real missed TV opportunity. Now, I do give myself grace because the amount of stuff one has to have to do this job, run this company, and create so much design content so frequently is extreme (occupational hazard – just the way it is). And even with a team of people, it’s impossible to keep it organized unless you have what we now have – a dedicated space, with IKEA shelving and cabinets, labels, color-coded shelves, THE WORKS. Without systems, there is chaos!!!! And Houston, we now have systems. For those of you who want to jump to the reveal, you can watch our latest YouTube video right here. I couldn’t love it any more.

2019 – The BEFORE before

When we bought the property, this was the garage – full of potential and spiders/dampness. We always knew that one of the perks of buying the property with so many outbuildings would be that we could have prop storage within reach (crucial to running the business), but not when they looked like this…

She was in rough shape. A slab had been poured in the last 20 years (we think), but otherwise it was “vintage”. So my brother’s company, Afore, set to restore and repair it, using the existing footprint and structure (and slab). They reinforced the framing, scissoring where they needed to, replacing other boards, but we really tried to save money by using the original wood. We opted to get rid of the broken windows, choosing functional wall space over a weird fence view. We updated the simple electrical and panneled it all.

January 2025 – Construction Progress

As you can see, the four bays remained the same, just fixed for new garage doors. The two on the left would be furniture store, holiday, and “Henderson life stuff”, while the two on the right would be smaller props, tools, supplies – all the stuff that needed a true dedicated space. Brian’s truck would go on the far left (and to save money, we made it just a covered carport without a slab, electrical or garage doors, and just a corrugated roof).

Initially, we were going to leave the original ceiling (it was pretty!), but we ended up cladding over it just to keep it as clean, insulated, and simple as possible. We needed to add recessed lighting so the paneling covered up the wiring, and honestly, we just didn’t want to deal with spiders and the potentially ickiness ever again.

The Old Prop House – Carriage House

As a reminder, we had everything on shelving in the only “not-totally-damp” room in the carriage house. Things were not staying in great shape, and we needed to start restoring this house, so it was time to fix the garages so we could have safe, dry storage.

June 2025 – DONE!!!! And I’m So Happy

Garage Doors | Garage Paint Color | Garage Doors Paint Color | Sconces

Last week, I showed off the prettiest garage doors ever (by Clopay, installed by local company Ponderosa) that we are legit obsessed with. Head over to this post to read alllllllll about our doors and the color, etc.

Once open, those doors really create this indoor/outdoor workspace which we all love being in (besides the fact that there is spotty wifi out here – fixing that asap). It’s a huge garage, extremely functional and tidy, and I spend far more time in here than predicted.

The After After…My New Favorite Space

Shelving Units | Cabinets | Table (vintage) | Chairs (vintage) | Rug (vintage) | Bins

It’s so much space, and so organized with the right dedicated storage for every type of thing. We have three sides of storage – the shallow shelves on the left, the deep closed storage on the back, and then deep shelves on the right. I mapped it all out beforehand, and I think I did a fantastic job if I do say so myself!

In front of the PAX units (which I want to discuss more below), we have our old vintage kitchen table from LA that I have been hoarding, and my beloved Cherner chairs (which admittedly shouldn’t be in a garage, but they aren’t comfortable enough for our day-to-day chairs – so squeaky!). We use this table to pull props and pack them up, but also we have been meeting out here while the kids have been running feral all summer. It’s oddly peaceful and quiet out here. While it’s likely not our year-round “studio,” it’s reallly nice not to always work in my sunroom and have some separation (we are hybrid, so unless we are meeting or shooting, everyone does computer work from home).

Are The IKEA PAX Units Good Enough For Garage Shelves??

I saw a lot of comments after I posted about how we had installed the PAX units. A few of you mentioned they aren’t strong enough for true garage storage (based on your experience). So before you do what I did, do more research (than I did). So far we are fine, but as you can see, we do have some stacks of dishes which are rather heavy, and I think I’m going to disperse based on

I’m not sure what is more peak adulting than a lady excited to show off her new storage shed. Today, I have for you a few show and tell pieces around my house and another sneak peek into two new rooms in my brother’s river house. They are all from Wayfair, which has the largest inventory of fantastic pieces for the home, across all categories (sheds to sectionals, folks). It’s become a really easy go-to for most things when I’m shopping, and everything comes really quickly.

The Green Sectional

This sectional has proven to be pretty dang awesome in the art barn. It’s so comfortable (squishy on top but firm) and the wide whale corduroy is really soft. The kids have been out there a lot this summer (mostly because I kick them out of the house during the day) and it holds up soo well to all their shenanigans. I never showed you the last piece that came with it, which can act like an ottoman, how I have it today, but also can be put on either end of the sofa to be modular. We have a little table here usually, but it’s a great option if you have more space.

I come out here to work when the kids are in the house because it’s so dang peaceful (and stays cool). The green is more olive than hunter, and the modular pieces stay together pretty well.

I should have shot it so you could see how you can add the ottoman to either end. See it below to get an idea of how it can be arranged. We love it for that low 70s vibe.

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Our Durable Storage Shed

I had to really babysit myself here to ensure that I chose the right storage shed for our needs in Oregon – durable resin, not wood. Of course, all I want is a pretty wooden shed, but I don’t trust any to be fully waterproof during our long, rainy winters. I wasn’t worried about it rotting necessarily (which can, of course, eventually happen with wood), but more that everything inside would get wet, mold, and be destroyed.

It does the job really well. I bought the storage shed and the sports organizer inside both from Wayfair, separately (way before this post, actually). I was obsessed with what would fit perfectly inside it (rounds of measuring ensued). It came well reviewed and would be big enough for all our sporting equipment. The shelving inside fits all the balls, rackets, pool toys, and even our corn hole and bucket golf (with extra room for the scooter). But you could also buy a yard-oriented shelving system (for rakes, blowers, etc).

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The Pedestal Dining Table

For my brother’s game room, we bought this 47″ game/dining table in a darker wood stain that they have loved and used more than they thought they would. Here they are playing Rummikub, but this table stands up to a lot of crafting, puzzles, and drinks without any marks. I can’t wait to show you more of this room – it might be my favorite in the house.

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We went round and round on which stain we would choose. The white oak went well with the whole house, which is full of white oak. But we felt that the darker tone would add depth and richness to the room.

The Pretty Credenza

In their family room, we styled this low credenza (with similar style/tone to the dining table) under that incredible Maryann Puls piece that they bought from the original Portland project. It slides open and closed for storage and works perfectly here, scale-wise, but could also be great in an entry or under a smaller TV. Wayfair’s collection of more modern pieces can sometimes be harder to find, but its solid and they have a lot of them.

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Now that our latest construction project is done (the garages) and until we start the next one (the carriage house), we have fewer trucks, cars, and equipment wreaking havoc on our property, which made me stare at our regrind driveway with fresh eyes. I just reread the original article, from three years ago, debating all the driveway options and unsure if we made the right decision. We compared concrete (too expensive), gravel (would wash away in rain), chipseal (would also wash away with rain), asphalt (cheapest but very black and new-construction-esque/wrong vibe), and regrind (compacted recycled asphalt with a layer of loose gravel on top). We chose regrind, which was $2k more than asphalt (done by our asphalt contractor). I left that last post on a cliff hanger – did we make the right $40k decision???? Three years later, let’s see.

Before – 2019

As a reminder, here’s how busted it was before – SUPER BUSTED. And I wish I knew the exact square footage of our driveway, but I’d say it’s around 1/4 of a mile (at least it feels that way when we take the trash cans to the street – so freaking long).

While I had hoped to not invest in the driveway (boring way to spend money), we had to and belabored the decision of what to do. Read the article where I break down all our options, with the pros and cons of each.

First Year Of Our Regrind Driveway – 2022

As a reminder, we wanted something that felt older, appropriate to a 120-year-old farm. Listen, however fancy our house has turned out, it still has a casual vibe, and we were (and still are) afraid that asphalt would not be the right choice, style-wise. And as a reminder, gravel would have washed away because we are on a hill and we live in the Pacific Northwest, where God blesses us with months of rain every year.

Our initial reaction was “it’s fine,” then months later, “it’s actually GREAT”. And since then, it’s honestly not something we ever think about. It’s just our driveway and I give zero attention to it. Listen, I barely know which of our two cars I drive (not joking, I have what the kids call “car blindness” where I get into the closest black SUV), so we all have the things we care about, and driveways aren’t one of mine.

Now, Our Regrind Driveway in 2025…3 Years Later

It looks mostly the same but dirtier and looser in parts. I just asked Brian what he thought of it now, and he said, “I don’t know – I guess it’s fine?”. That’s kind of how I feel. I still prefer the charm of the gravel sound under my feet. I love that it’s more rustic and not a harsh dark new color (or broken concrete). You can really beat it up without leaving a trace. I do fear that had we done asphalt, we would have to have it redone already since we deal with so many trucks here, likely damaging it.

Over time, some areas have gotten a tiny bit “bald” of loose gravel, but the compacted asphalt underneath is still there. I didn’t even notice it, to be honest, until I forced myself to look. I think it’s mostly the same, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the top layer of loose gravel is shaken up a bit.

My Official Verdict – Regrind Or Asphalt?

Regrind is still the best choice for us, even if we aren’t vocal Regrind enthusiasts. It’s just great, appropriate, and works he

As a lover of all things pattern and color in interior design, I’m most often asked for decorating advice and help from the people in my life who have neutral homes. The most common complaint I get hit with that I’m enlisted to help solve is: How do I make my room interesting? It would be easy to tell them just to add some color or fun art or pattern, but that’s not really what they’re looking for. So, I did the work for those in my life and readers of this blog to unlock the one thing I think every *good* neutral room sports: quiet pattern. Look, I’m not here to try to convince anyone that they need to colorblock and pattern-drench their home in the name of “interesting;” rather, I’m here to help explore what makes a warm, welcoming, interesting room, whether that’s a colorful *or* neutral space.

For some reason, when designing with neutrals, non-professionals and enthusiasts tend to overlook how much impact can be added to their space with some pattern, all while not amping up the energy, the key is the “quiet” part of the equation.

So, what exactly is a quiet pattern? Well, it’s a pattern that isn’t loud (obviously). It’s either subtle and neutral in color or created simply out of texture rather than contrast. It can come into play through building materials (like the image from 1stDibs below), or via fabrics, textiles, and furnishings in a space.

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Let’s take a look at this image above I found through the 1stDibs account. It was designed by Nina Farmer and is a perfect example of the magic of “quiet patterns.” It’s a room that feels so alive, so complex, yet devoid of any non-neutral colors from this vantage point besides the rust vase and the artwork. Interest comes through via the texture and “pattern” of the brick fireplace, the wall paneling, the edged rounded square on the surface of the coffee table, the neutral plaid on the sofa fabric, and even the heavy texture of the rug.

Here are a few more all-around examples, plucked from the EHD archive:

While that Nina Farmer image above was jam-packed with “quiet pattern,” sometimes, all you need is one or two injections of it to deliver a homey vibe to an otherwise stripped back room, like the Portland Project primary bedroom above. Without the hushed pattern of the bedspread (and even the speckling of the rug), it may have felt a bit too one-note.

Throwing it all the way back to the Sotheby’s Parisian suite for those that have been around for over a decade. There’s a lot of contrast in this black-and-white boudoir, which certainly helps, but the quiet pattern moments just bring it home, including the herringbone floor, the hushed design on the rug and other textiles, and even the marbling of the fireplace surround.

EHD alum Brady Tolbert is the kind of quiet pattern and interesting neutral rooms. Here in his previous living room, texture drives a lot of the interest, but the patterns created by said texture in the throw pillows and blanket bring in that movement and distinct punch that only pattern can deliver. The chevron of the shag rug, stripes of the side chair throw blanket and a few other details complete the story.

This bedroom by our stylist buddy Lea Johnson showcases some different quiet pattern moments to consider as well, including the pattern created by the table lamp, and even the fluting in the nightstand.

Alright, now that we’ve established what “quiet patterns” are and seen them in action in neutral rooms, let’s break down each element further and do a little shopping.

Quiet Pattern Detail #1: Rugs

One of the loudest ways to bring in quiet pattern (ha) is via a rug. It’s a large stretch of floor space that tends to be very grounding to a room. It can easily be a one-and-done situation if you don’t want to think too much about any other quiet pattern element in your room.

Happy Sunday, everyone. What a week at EHD, huh? First, the incredible tour of The Carly (where we got to have our EHD retreat:)), then Em’s reveal of the most beautiful garage doors we’ve ever seen, and rounding it out with a full tour of Jess’ dad’s DIY cabin in the woods. We promise to have just as much for you next week! But for now, here are this week’s links.

This week’s house tour is the home of Zilah Drahn. If you aren’t familiar with her name, we can promise you that you know her work. She is the owner and plant genius behind Plants and Spaces. Her Spanish colonial home is as creative and unique as you’d hope from someone who creates such beautiful plant designs. Check it out!!

From Emily: We are making a lot of subtle changes around here, rethinking how we’ve done things to essentially make them just BETTER, fresh, new, and fun. One of them is the newsletter, which was a daily email about what we were writing about that day, but like all things, it could feel stale and just robotic at times. So Mal has taken it over to make it more customized, interesting, and is experimenting a lot. There will be some bonus content in there as well!! We have a big launch in 2 weeks that we are VERY excited about, so please subscribe to the newsletter for a new experience that hopefully adds a lot of fun stuff and general design value. It’s a way to be reminded about that day’s article, but also to surface some special content or resurface some older posts that might be something we are all thinking about right now. Sign up here!!!

Also From Emily: Today, you are getting a bonus YouTube, with a ton of sneak peeks into the 1850 carriage house that we are starting to restore (it’s such a beast, you guys). We haven’t really blogged about it yet, but Gretchen and Marlee pulled together a fun BTS of me cleaning it out, showing you my Christmas hoard (amongst other hoards). Watch it here (and please like and subscribe – it means THE WORLD to us :))

Also From Emily: Hey Portland folks! Next Saturday (July 26th), there is a big local event with 32 makers/small businesses (some of my absolute favorites). Think Pigeon Toe Ceramics, Nik Nik Studio, Ace and Jig, with a bunch of vintage, food, music, and drinks. It’s 10-4 pm, at 424 N. Tillamook Street. I’m SO BUMMED I’m out of town (I think my kids would even like this one), so if you are in town, head over there next Saturday.

From Caitlin: Netflix? Hulu? Max? Peacock? NEVER HEARD OF THEM. This year, I became addicted to America’s best streaming service: PBS! I donated $60 – that’s just $5 a month – to my local station in exchange for Passport access, which allows me to stream the ENTIRE ACTIVE PBS LIBRARY at any time. The episodic programming is so good and smart – I’m partial to Amanpour & Co., News Hour, Nova, Antiques Roadshow (obviously), Space Time, Finding Your Roots, Check Please (I love watching the Philly edition – it makes me feel close to home!), Star Gazers, et. al. – and the documentary selection is unparalleled. (I adored this Ken Burns doc on the Shakers, which was recently recommended by the team at Reath Design.) While the rest of the media ecosystem feels loud, fragmented, or polarized, I always leave the PBS app feeling smarter, calmer, and happier (which are not words I’d associate with many other streaming experiences, ha). Here’s to apps designed to appeal to better angels! I LOVE YOU, PBS PASSPORT. (Added bonus: it’s never been a better time to support public broadcasting! I’m enjoying it while we still can!)

From Jess: As you read yesterday, I am in the woods at my dad’s cabin (though luckily NOT under the house, still insulating pipes). Anyway, being in the woods means I need bug spray…bad. My sweet, sweet blood makes me a prime target for mosquito bites. My dad told me about this apparently awesome all-natural mosquito repellent from a company called Skeeter Skat. He was out, but I ordered some because, of course, the LA mosquitoes are also obsessed with me. If it sounds like I’m bragging, I AM NOT. Excited to try this new repellent that’s also from a small business, which makes it even better.

Also From Jess: During this week’s market research, I found this incredible bowl/vase from H&M! It’s so unique, and if I had space for it, I would buy it in a second. Just had to share it<3

From Mallory: Introducing my sandals of the summer (and beyond). I’m absolutely obsessed with these shoes because I can easily slide into them without having to buckle (I get very irritated by buckles, tbh), and once they were fully broken in, they became SO comfortable. They’re super high quality and go with every single outfit. Highly recommend if you need some nice new summer shoes!

From Arlyn: Are you notoriously bad at remembering to take your vitamins? Then we are the same, you and me. I have a (locked) drawer in my kitchen dedicated to all our vitamins and supplements, and for whatever reason, it is so difficult for me to go in there every day. I’ve tried all the tricks. Setting reminders on my phone, moving the vitamins somewhere more convenient, and habit stacking so that I take them during a time I already do something else. It wasn’t until I got these from Perelel that something just clicked. I think it’s that all the pills come in one convenient little packet, so they’re super easy to grab and take on the go if I’m eating breakfast out. It’s so convenient, I haven’t missed a single day in three months. (For the record, I’m taking the Conception Support Pack, which is basically their prenatals, which my dietician suggested I take whether I’m trying to conceive or not).

From Marlee: The other week, Em posted an Instagram story asking for curly hair recs – one product that SO many people were raving about in her DMs was the Verb Ghost oil, especially for fine hair. I just emptied my 3rd bottle of the Ouai Hair oil (which I love, great if you like a jasmine-y scent), but I’m always down to test out new products, so I decided to give the Verb oil a whirl, and it’s GOOD. It’s super thick out of the bottle but doesn’t weigh down my hair at all. It also gives you so much shine without looking greasy/oily. It barely has any scent, which I don’t mind. I have a feeling I’ll be going back for more of this guy. Thanks to everyone out there for the rec!

From Veronica (Special Guest and EHD Alum!): My brother released his first book, and I am so incredibly proud of him! It is an action-packed SciFi novel based around an unknown species on Earth that was once admired, but over the last 30 years, has now become feared. Buckle up for a journey of discovery, friendship, and love. If you enjoy SciFi (or even if you don’t), pick up this book for your next read!

From Nick the Author: Hi friends! The Bright Highway has plenty of action, suspense, and drama much like other staples of the sci-fi genre, but it is fundamentally a story of otherness, tribalism, and mixed identity. I’m not sure how many of you share my biracial background, but The Bright Highway is sort of my love letter to the beauty of blended tribes, and I think that message is an increasingly important one today. For signed copies and special events, check out my website or follow along on Instagram. Happy reading!

From Gretchen: If you’re a devoted Sunday linkup reader, you may remember a few weeks ago I talked about my paddle board. And yes, I’m still digging it! But I do have a few complaints with it that I’m slowly working on making better. The first one is the hand pump that comes with it. It just sucks the fun out of the experience, exerting all your energy first to inflate it, and if you have the money to upgrade to electric, it’s a must, imo. But don’t make the same mistake I did–make sure it comes with the right valve adapter! If you go with the same Retrospec paddle board as me, go ahead and get the same brand pump and save yourself the trouble of finding out the cheaper version on Amazon won’t fit the valve hole. Next, if you plan on drinking and floating (like most of us), snag this awesome cupholder! It sticks to your board and loops through the bungee cords, keeping your can upright. Genius! But also, if you plan on drinking and floating…DON’T LOSE YOUR PHONE LIKE I JUST DID. I was out on the river and was suddenly flipped by a big boat wave. The board’s bungee cords held on to just about everything–except my precious iPhone. So now, I won’t let myself go back out there without this tethered phone holder, to MAKE SURE it stays strapped, even if I don’t.

Thanks for stopping by and see y’all tomorrow. xx

Opening Image Credits: Architect: Beebe Skidmore | General Contractor: Owen Gabbert LLC | Design by Max Humphrey | Styled by Kate Webb of Rodeo Queen and Colleen Mote | Landscaping by Pistils Landscape Design | Photos by Kaitlin Green | From: The Most Magical (And Rentable) Retreat That My Best Friends Created: The Carly Tour