Pillow Fort Kids Decor Collection

Hold on to your toddlers folks, because its finally here. Target has a kids decor line called PillowFort, and its very good, stylish, fun, and extremely affordable. It officially launched yesterday, so we thought wed highlight our favorites and show some of them styled in my house (with a sneak peek into Elliots nursery). Part of my job with Target is receiving advance pieces of their new collections and playing with them. Its just terrible.

Here are some of my favorites that I got to play with, as well as pictures and links to the whole collection.

That white/gold ball lamp. Its simple and graphic (it could go anywhere in your home, actually), and perfect scale for a nursery. When I drafted this post I had only seen about 1/8th of the product, and now that Im perusing it online there are so many more pieces that I love. Check out the full lighting collection there is even a gold heart lamp shade.

In general PillowFortis full of whimsical, happy, fun textiles, accessories, and decor that is easy to throw around and certainly cute enough for adults to love, too. The color palette is fresh and modern, and the patterns channel our inner tween (flamingo bedding, panda wall mounts). Its less nursery and more kids room or playroom (we are doing a makeover with all of it soon, so stay tuned). Charlie inserted himself into a couple shots, like the proper blogger child that he is (we are in the showing less of his face in social media phase these days, by the way).

That pineapple pillow is ridiculous. As you can see its kid-tested by Charlie Henderson himself, and it has his stamp of toddler approval.

We threw that gold unicorn lamp into Elliots room (reveal coming soon!). Its the perfect side table scale for a kids room (or could certainly go on the shelf of a unicorn-loving grown-up). It comes in white too if you cant handle the magic of both gold and unicorn in one lamp.

Our changing table (we took the top off for the shot) is by Babyletto from Target, and can be found here.

Elliots room is mostly green with accents of a soft pink, so that unicorn head is gosh darn perfect. We will be ordering more pieces now that the collection is available (we just had a couple samples), so youll start to see it peppered in a lot of our nurseries we are designing. But you should snag what you want as things might sell out. This line is permanent its like another Threshold or Room Essentials, so while new pieces will be introduced every season, its not a collaboration that will go away. Instead its going to grow, and grow, and grow.

Now for the reveal of the whole PillowFort Collection.

Charlie loves that bearand sleeps with it in his crib, along with 15 other stuffed animals. I dont know how he actually lies down, but its not a battle Im fighting these days. My mom (who had 6 kids) told me good advice once that we should only really fight battles that are going to matter in 5 years. When Charlie pushes or steals toys from another kid YES, we make a point to talk about it and work through his thoughts, apologize, blah blah. But Im not concerned with the fact that his crib looks like one of those carnival games where you grab the prize with a big claw. Check out whole collection here.

He is rather obsessed with dinosaurs lately, and makes us each crawl around and act like them every night dictating who is a stegosaurus, and who is a brontosaurus . We recently went to an event at the Natural History Museum where he was introduced to a few puppet dinosaurs which both TERRIFIED him and solidified his obsession. Point being I want that string art and that dinosaur head. Whole collection here.

I love that bean bag chair and wish we had a spot for it. It comes in mint, too and is going t grace many a playroom in America this year. Also I didnt know that Zebra was an option, but man its cute.

For the Pacific Northwest in all of us. I love the styling of the road on the floor its a pretty fun idea to do with your kids, right? Charlie makes us sit down and race each other (as if we are in mini cars) and he yells READY, SET, GO! and randomly dictates the winner. Shop the Explorer Escapeshere.

I can imagine most little girls (even up to tween age) would love that butterfly shelf for their tiny collections, and that side table is extremely cute. Also I didnt see this bunny nightlight before, but its so cute and Im going to get it for Elliots room. See everything from theFloral Field collection.

This is probably my favorite shot from the catalogue, as those chairs, table, and canopy are so good. The last ten years has really been a big emergence of cute kids decor, certainly, but its so great that Target has joined the ranks and made it wildly more affordable. See the whole Marvelous Manor collection(and please get this canopy).

For the older kids, they have this desk and chair which I love, and is very deserving of the porcelain cat lamp. Check out the whole Mirage collection here.

Peek the whole Ocean Oasis collection here.

That mounted cat head. So cute. Step inside the Sprinkle Suite.

See the whole Stellar Station collection.

Check out the whole Tropical Treehouse collection.

Its happy and fun for both us, and our kids. And most importantly its available at our favorite national retailer (and online), Target.

When I made this roundup I had only seen some of the collection so if I were to do it now, after seeing every single piece online, I would add 20 things. So dont just go off of what my favorites are below, check out everything here. Its all so very good.

1. Lamp 2. Flamingo3. Flamingo Sheets4. Tropical Bedding 5. Unicorn Head6. Plush Blanket 7. TeePee 8. Pillow 9. Mint Chairs 10. Cactus Pillow11. Fossil Sheets 12. Dinosaur head13. Shark Head 14. Nightstand15. Unicorn16. Unicorn Lamp 17. Shark Sheets 18. Wall Hanging 19. Forest FriendsSheets 20. Dog Lamp21. Metallic Hearts Sheets 22. Bird Lamp 23. Metal Chair 24. Side Table 25. Whale Pillow 26. Tassel Comforter 27. Waves Quilt Set28. Standing Lamp29. Tassel Pillows30. Pineapple Lamp 31. Pineapple Pillow32. Panda Head33. Octopus34. Star sheet Set35. Heart Lights 36. Bean Bag Chair

See the entire PillowFort Collection, here.Bravo, Target. Kids and play rooms across America are about to get so much cuter.

Photos in our house by Stephanie Todaro.

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MY CRAFT CHANNEL: ANTIQUING WITH STAIN

Stain is the perfect way to add a little antique and distressing to your wood projects. It can completely change the look and is easier to do than you think. This week on My Craft Channel we are showing you how to stain one of our favorite kitchen accessories.

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Designer Spotlight - Emily Katz

As you know in that book of mine, STYLED we featured the spaces of some insanely talented artists, designers, and creatives that made me, and the book look REALLY good. One of those talented artists being the one and only Emily Katz (and her partner Adam) who is a blogger, macrame artist, designer, and true bohemian at heart. Her home is insane, in a good way, filled with layered textiles, a menagerie of jungle life, and some of her own macrame pieces. It's eclectic, unexpected and so artful. Take a look:

Emily isn't a one trick pony though. She has recently launched a series of macrame workshops where you, yes you, (even me with my sausage fingers) can go to a class and learn how to weave your own macrame wall hanging or plant hanger. She has courses all over the nation this year and her classes are quickly filling up so be sure to check one out in a nearby city. These things are so beautiful - organic and modern.

And for those of you that aren't quite ready to get their creative juices flowing, and are a bit more of a "purchaser" than a "doer" (I'm sad right now I'm more of the latter than the former), she has quite a few of her own hangings in her online shop for you to peruse (and purchase) at your leisure. I'll definitely be adding a few of those plant holders to my shopping cart. But I mean, come on, who doesn't want to get their DIY on in the barn in Tivoli with a bunch of other lovely ladies.

Her Instagram is also BEAUTIFUL, weird and overall inspiring. Follow along HERE.

That bench is so pretty. It would look pretty darn killer at the end of my bed.

Thank you so much Emily Katz, for letting us feature your beautiful work in the book. The first round of printing left off the crediting of the homeowners which was nauseating (thank God there have been 5 rounds of printing since), so I want to make sure that all of you who have that first edition of the book know that Emily and her partner designed their house, and they did it beautifully.

Now go check out her site, shop and instagram!

***photos of Emily's House by David Tsay, all other photos by Leela Cyd, Christine Taylor, and Emily Katz.

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How to Style Your Bookcase if You're A Hoarder, A Collector, or A Book Worm

From what many of you have told me styling your bookshelves is as hard for you as filing for taxes is for me - daunting and stressful, where you aren't sure where to start, and you're sure it will never end. But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and maximizing your shelving for whatever purpose bests suits your home, whether that be storage, housing your collections, or a place to actually hold all your books, is something that everyone can achieve in a few easy steps. I promise. This month in Redbook, we are breaking down the process for three different ways to get your bookcases into tip top shape.

Maximum Storage: For those of you that need to use your bookcase for actual storage purposes there are some very pretty solutions out there. These not only maximize your storage, but allow you to still display some of your pretty objects. You may be thinking, wait is that the same shot as the first one? It is, but Redbook popped the colors (as you can see below).

Step 1: If you truly don't know where to begin then start by clearing out everything. I know this sounds like an awful task, but clearing out everything is the only way to truly begin the process. As you clear everything out you will quickly find that A LOT of the stuff that you have thrown in there is no longer needed or useful, so, in the spirit of spring cleaning (is it that time of year already?!) separate everything out into keep, toss, or donate piles.

Step 2: Pick a color palette. You will want to begin by picking a color palette for your storage items and sticking with it. Nothing will make your bookcase feel more cluttered and unorganized than a bunch of mismatched boxes and bins. We kept all of ours very neutral so that we could bring some life and color into the bookcase with art, accessories, and a few personal items.

Step 3: Start from the bottom and work your way up. To ground your bookcase you will want to place your largest storage boxes and bins at the bottom, so that it doesn't feel too top heavy, and you can keep the top half filled with smaller and lighter accessories and storage needs (like these magazine files).

Step 4: Leave space for some personal items. To make your bookcase feel less like a storage unit, and more like a bookcase, be sure to dedicate some shelf space to art, a few accessories, a bud vase with some fresh flowers, or a small momento. Adding these little touches will help personalize the shelf.

And of course, we couldn't let a post go by without including a GIF to show you the before image vs. the image that was published in print.

Book Heavy: For those of you that want to actually use your bookshelf for books, this one is for you.

Step 1: Biggest books first. You will want to start by adding your biggest books in first, as these visually carry the most weight. We reserved the bottom two shelves of this bookcase for the larger books, and then accented a few of the other shelves with a stack or two of them. You can break them up visually by adding a large vase in between them or stacking them horizontally in a few stacks, as we did on the second shelf. A helpful tip that will help things not only look but feel clean is to pull all the spines of the books to the front edge of the shelves lining each of them up (just as they do in a library).

Step 2: Create vignettes. To keep your bookshelf from feeling too stark you will want to create a few vignettes within the stacks of books. Let the books be the focus, but adding a small lamp, a little accessory in front of books, or even some flowers can help break up all of the vertical and horizontal lines that the books create.

Step 3: Leave some breathing room. To prevent your bookcase from getting too packed and visually chaotic make sure to leave some empty areas in your shelves. This allows your eye to have a moment of rest when looking at the shelf.

Once again . . . the beautiful before and after GIF. It's pure eye candy, and although we aren't quite sure about all the changes, we do think it is very fun to see what they did to the image.

Showcasing Your Collections: It is no secret that we love "stuff" over here at Emily Henderson Design (the good stuff). But, there are a few rules to keep in mind when displaying said "stuff" to prevent it from looking like you have a thrift store in your living room.

Step 1: Larger items on bottom. Just as we discussed in the previous two examples, the same principle applies here. Your largest items or collectibles, which visually carry the most weight, should live near the bottom of the shelf. This is not a steadfast rule, as a larger item could look great on a higher shelf, but generally a huge box of blankets or a large decorative box is not going to look best on the top shelf.

Step 2: Curate vignettes. Similar to step 2 in the previous bookshelf, you will want to create small vignettes or collections based on what you have to display. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by thinking about the entire bookcase at one time, take it piece by piece and slowly fill it out. A good collection/vignette typically has 3-5 items in it, all varying in height, but having similar context. You won't get it right on the first try, even we move things around over and over until we find just the right place for everything. But, keep going until you find the perfect combo for your space. And then do it all over again the following week if you are like me.

Step 3: Add something personal. There is nothing worse than a bookcase filled with stuff that you just went and bought from the store. Make your bookcase personal by including items that you love, and that have meaning to you. You can house some of these items in glass display boxes like we did, or place a collection of them on a stack of books, which will help ground them and help them from looking too bitsy or cluttered.

What are your other bookcase blunders that you can't seem to conquer? Be sure to let us know, and we can try and solve them in an upcoming post. Want more DIYs? Check out our other recent Redbook projects: 1 Lamp 3 Ways | DIY Upholstered Headboard | DIY Wooden Dowel Coat Rack | DIY Mod Podge Chair | DIY Side Table Ikea Hack | 1 Curtain 3 Ways | Ladder Wardrobe

***photography by: David Tsay, styled by: Scott Horne and Brady Tolbert, Art Directed by Me

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13 Living Room Design Trends for 2016 and How We Feel About Them

This year, 2016, is already setting itself up to be a year of good and awkward trends. Much like what is "in" in the fashion world, 1/2 of it's hideous, 1/2 of it's beautiful, and 1/2 of it only some people can pull off. Here's what is trending now in the design world, and how I feel about it.

Chunky Low Furniture - A modern 1970's interpretation. Here's what happened: The 1950's and 60's were full of straight, streamlined and less loung-ey furniture, so the 70's and 80's had something to say about it, and thus entered in the boxy, round-y, low-ass sofas. The cycle repeated itself in the 90's, 00's, and now we are back to that. That's not to say that mid-century is out, it never will be, but these chunky big sofas are in, too. And we're into it. They are just begging for someone to sink in and crawl into a netflix-hole.

If a low boxy sofa on the ground isn't really your vibe, and you're needing a bit more height, then opt for something similar to the sofa in the below picture, which has some legs and adds a bit of height to the piece.

Longevity: As long as the piece is simple, in a good high-quality fabric, and is actually comfortable we can see this one sticking around for a long time. While there are some good rounded arm versions out there, if you are daring to take the risk I'd go for a boxier arm.

I will say that these sofa play best in large rooms. I could see how one of these in a smaller apartment, that feels cramped, could look dumb and generic. They also need to be elevated with beautiful things around it to make sure that they don't look dumpy. So go for it, but be careful.

Modern Farmhouse: The Modern Farmhouse style has made this trend much more accessible to those of you that aren't quite ready to throw an elk mount above your fireplace. This trend is all about mingling your more classic rustic pieces with your some of the more modern items you may already have. Think of it as a Clint Eastwood meets Bradley Cooper. Don't go all "Little House On The Prairie" (be skeptical of too many ruffles and lace), as you might find yourself stuck in a time warp, but bringing in some aged leather club chairs, a nice plaid throw, old linens, and some great rustic accessories can really warm up your space . . . and heart.

Longevity: LONG. If you live in an urban setting (New York, SF and yes, even here in LA) make sure to mix it with urban style, too. This trend is certainly not new, but it is still very hot. I knew that this was one style that needed to be curated properly when I saw rustic wood clad walls in the food court of the Sacramento Airport. In other words, unless you really live in the country, make sure it's not just Edison bulbs and deer horns.

Black: Like in the kitchen, black is back and popping up all over the living room scene. We get that a big black living room may not be for everyone, or for every room, but these darker hues instantly add drama to your space. If you aren't ready to darken your room then bring in some black through accessories, furniture, and maybe an accent wall. If you can handle the drama.

Art Ledges: AKA the new gallery wall. Don't run with that statement, as it might put us out of a job seeing as a handful of the images and links that pop up when one googles "gallery wall" are my photos of my old portfolio projects. But, for those of you that are intimidated by the work that goes into a gallery wall, these art ledges can be easier. You put them up once, then go to town.

Serious styling addicts can rearrange every week. Or day, like myself.

Longevity: As long as you don't get sick of art, or styling, then these will stay looking fresh as long as you can keep them styled.

Matte Brass: We love all metallics right now, but gold is having a more refined moment. Look for brushed, satin, or matte finishes.

Longevity: Long. Aged brass/silver/copper are always in style. The more fun, less expensive stuff you have less longevity with. While I love shiny brass, and am still installing some in houses as we speak, a good matte gold can take it down to another (good) level.

Limewash Walls: We love this trend, and I have already adopted this into my own home. I did it in my new guest suite (that you haven't seen yet) and it looks beautiful. It's not trying to look old, but it is a texture that has movement, and brings a lot of depth into a space.

We got ours at Portola Paints, but there are many different brands that make it. It's all in the application, which can be a splurge, but once on the walls it is so pretty and warm.

Longevity: Long. Except that it's so fragile (scuffs easily and hard to retouch), so I will have to keep you posted on how long it could actually last in a real life setting. Don't get greedy and try to have a lot of texture on your walls - you want some, obviously but keep it subtle, so this is a great option.

Two Toned Walls: We are still on the fence with this trend. In the right situation, and with the perfect set of complimenting colors (as seen below) it can totally work in a space. BUT - if not done right it could quickly look like you either live in a fun house, or were so indecisive, or trying so hard that you couldn't quite figure out which color to choose so you just went with two. For this to really work, the space either needs to be filled with complementary colored furniture (as seen in the second pic), or a very neutral space that can really let the walls be the stars of the show.

Longevity: Not sure. I don't feel too confident about it, but it's just paint so if you are up for it - GO FOR IT (and send us pics, please).

Minimal Living Rooms: Minimal living has always been on trend with a certain sector of society, but when I, Emily Henderson, am found clearing my surfaces for a more minimal look then we know that it's one that has pervaded the public. Yes, a well accessorized living room can be inviting, feel like home, and look amazing in photographs, but these sparse and open living rooms are making us want to toss it all and start fresh. Of course the trick to this working (not just functionally, but really gorgeous) is to make sure that everything you do have is absolutely perfect, unique and beautiful. No pressure.

Wood Platformed Furniture: A cross between zen and Scandinavian, the wood platformed furniture trend is big this year, and we are very into it. At least we love to look at it. This trend may not be for everyone, as some people do appreciate a big cushy sofa to really flop yourself down on at the end of the day (see #1), and tune into the Bachelor (which is happening right now). But for those of you who appreciate clean lines, simple forms, and a streamlined look this trend is for you and your living rooms.

Longevity: So long. It's so simple that I can't imagine it ever being OUT. Keep the wood higher quality so it looks high end, and not like plywood. Because as we explained in this post, we aren't sure how long the plywood wall trend will last.

Also for you DIY-ers, this is a great one to make yourself. It's just simple platforms and boxed cushions. Plus, it's easy to make it look built-in and custom to the space. Look fancy, when you aren't.

Channel Tufting: We were seeing this first in dining rooms, and it was hard to find a good living room shot, but you should be warned that vertical and horizontal channel tufting are coming soon to a store near you. At the Las Vegas Market we saw a few, and were shocked how much we liked them, which is a good indicator that it's about to emerge publicly. Be on the right side of history (unless you hate it, then stick with normal tufts).

These people are cool.

Modular Sectionals: Yes. Five years ago I can't say that I was into this, at all. But look at me now. Similar to the low chunky furniture trend, these guys are a bit more convertible than their sibling, as these pieces can be shaped into any configuration to really provide the best setup for you and your guests. You need a huge living room to do this right, but then you can hang the hell out of your living room, all night with your friends.

I fear that only in a photo does the below sectional look good (it looks so schlubby), but it's still inviting.

Longevity: In the right space it has legs (yes, intended), but don't buy a cheap one that will look like garbage in 6 months. Make sure the fabric feels/looks high end, so that it counteracts the casualness of the sofa.

Clustered Coffee Tables: For those of you with a bit more eclectic heart, the clustered coffee table trend might be right up your ally. We are both for, and against this. It works in a small space, when a large coffee table that takes up a lot of real estate may not be the best option, BUT, these clustered coffee tables when not curated well can very quickly start to look like a garage sale in your home.

Our rule is keep it simple, vary the heights, and they should have something in common (see the cluster in the modular trend photo above).

Slipcovered Furniture (yes, a few elements of shabby chic are on the return): Can you see the over-arching trend going on? Casual and comfort are in. Slipcovers have come a long way since the 90's, and we are very into the more modern adaptation of them.

A few tips for making slipcovers work: Keep the fabric in a washed linen or canvas, and try to steer clear of slipcovering a piece that has too many curves, as even a beautiful linen can't overcome the original bones of a bad piece. Keep it modern, opting for boxed arms over curved arms.

Even Victoria of SFGIRLBYBAY is into slipcovered furniture, and she is, like, RUHL cool.

For a more refined look (this pic also combines so many of the trends above - modern country, minimalist, and maybe a lime-wash??).

Longevity: The right piece, with the right Belgian linen - FOREVER. Restoration Hardware does the best job in this category, and while they don't make it cheap, they sure can be pretty.

What are your favorites? Any big surprises or any that you think I'm dead wrong about??? Do dish . . .

If you are craving some more of my color and trend predictions for this year head on over to check out these 90's colors that have made a comeback in the design world, these kitchen trend predictions, and some of our color trend roundups.

*** Image Sources: Featured Image | Chunky Low: 1, 2 | Modern Farmhouse: 1, 2 | Black: 1, 2 | Art Ledges: 1, 2 | Matte Brass: 1 | Limewash Walls: 1, 2 | Two Toned Walls: 1, 2 | Minimal: 1 | Wood Platformed: 1, 2, 3 | Channel Tufting: 1 | Modular Sectionals: 1, 2 | Clustered Coffee Tables: 1 | Slipcovered: 1, 2

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