I first spotted this space in the April 2024 issue of Southern Living (shot by Alison Gootee, with styling by Page Mullins). It’s the work of interior designer Lila Malone, designed for her friend Natalie Sheen who writes The Nat Note. You can see more photos of this cute home in Lila’s portfolio.

You probably already know that I’m a sucker for a patterned sofa, so it’s no surprise that this patterned infused living room went straight into my inspiration files last year. This is what “well-layered” looks like to me. Starting from the ground up, with the layered rugs and pattern on pattern with the sofa and pillows. I also love how the painted black windows ground the space (as well as the small pop of black and white in the artwork). And, although there’s not a lot of extra color, the addition of the dark red lamp shade makes all the difference.

[show_ms_widget id=”36105542″ image_id=”41984547″ width=”900″ height=”1600″]

Everything seen in image above is also linked here.

See more of my FILED series.

A few of the good things I’ve discovered/spotted lately: 

Recent Walmart finds: A cute cardigan with gold buttons. . .

And a pleated skirt in a striking blue.

Also, these $12 track pants.

A classic gold cuff.

This woven clutch.

If you need more task lighting. . . An inexpensive wall lamp with good lines.

So many indoor/outdoor pillow covers in pretty prints from this brand.

Starting this book today, by one of my favorite podcasters.

This balloon sleeved sweatshirt–and why you should check Amazon before buying for a brand name.

Have always loved this rug, and it’s on sale now.

Feeling so spoiled by my warm towels lately.

These 5-star sneakers.

Finally tried this popular baked foundation, and I’m a fan.

And, this less expensive baked blush.

This straightener/dryer is working well for us. (In case you’re not ready to invest in the Dyson, either.)

And finally, I’m working my way through The Bible Recap yearly reading plan. It’s great, if you’re looking for a manageable way to read and understand it every day.

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”5303092″]

Find more of my “good things” lists here.

What’s the first blog you ever read? I found Little Green Notebook and Brooklyn Limestone around the same time. It was such a treat to get up in the morning and see what new idea or project they had posted. I remember being obsessed with Jenny’s old dining room and dragon fabric settee with the red picture frames. I also spent hours on HGTV’s Rate My Room. Remember that site?

First project you ever posted on the blog? One of the first rooms I decorated and posted was this spare bedroom turned home office in 2011. It makes me a little nervous to look at now, but back then, I was just thrilled to have this little space all to myself. (A good reminder that decorating skills evolve over time. . .) In case you’re wondering, I had that dress form in the corner because I also bought and resold clothing on eBay back in the day.

What did you do before you were a stay-at-home mom? I started working for Time Warner around the time they launched their Road Runner internet service. Picture me sitting in meetings listening to technical details about how they were going to wire a hotel for Wi-Fi. Zzzzzzzzz…….(That also tells you how long ago it was that there was no Wi-Fi in hotels.) I eventually quit and went to work at Ethan Allen for a year or so before our oldest was born. I didn’t start the blog until about four years after that.

What’s your favorite thing about blogging? Two things. The interaction with people who love the same things that I do. It’s been a great outlet for me. And, the flexibility! That’s been a huge blessing for our family. You never know what a day will bring when you have five kids going in five different directions.

Is blogging profitable? Parts of blogging, yes–and what those things are seem to always be changing in regards to social media, brand partnerships, etc. It also, of course, depends on how much time you put into it. Links and commissions are nice but aren’t over-the-top profitable for most bloggers/influencers (a word I continue to hate, by the way). The best jobs for me are the ones where I contract with reputable companies to create and shoot a project and mutually promote on social media. I would add that it takes a while for any blog to become profitable. I didn’t make any money for the first 2-3 years.

How do brand partnerships work? Normally, a brand will email me with with an idea and if it’s a good match, we’ll work out the details from there. They’ll usually just give me a list of deliverables and a deadline. I have to weigh out the time involved, how much control I have over content and the compensation to see if it all makes sense. (Most don’t make sense, by the way.)

Weirdest brand collaboration request? The first one that comes to mind is a company that wanted me to send them my twins’ umbilical cords after they were born. They were going to paint a piece of art with them that I could feature on the blog. . . Yikes.

Do people stop you for photos? Ummm, no. Regardless of what my dad thinks, I don’t think anyone really knows (or cares) who I am or what I do. :) My husband, on the other hand, has been stopped on several occasions and asked if he’s married to “Emily A. Clark.” He thinks that’s hysterical.

Has blogging changed your view on trends? I would say that the longer I blog, the less I tend to care about trends. At some point, you just like what you like and that’s that. It’s been fun to see other people that started blogs around the same time I did find their own niche, too.

Most absurd comment you’ve received? Overall, I’ve had a really good experience. I do remember once saying something about how I’d rather get a root canal than stand in line at an IKEA on a weekend. A lady took great offense to that, saying her husband was a dentist. . . And, of course, I’ve had a few comments on something I’ve done wrong on mothering my kids (pacifiers too long, not giving them enough chores, etc., from people who have never met us). Overall nothing really huge. How offensive can decorating really be??!

Please post a pic of you coming home with the twins again. How did you keep the blog going then?

Here we are, coming home from the hospital as a new family of seven +  a cat. I was completely freaked out about how this was all going to work. (My parents stayed with us for the first month.) Honestly, I remember very little about it. I think I gave myself a couple of weeks before I went back to blogging. How stupid. I should’ve taken the year off in retrospect. I felt like I had to prove something to somebody, I guess. I didn’t.

How old are your kids now? My kids are now 20, 18, 15 and the twins are 12. Our house definitely feels different with two at college, but everyone is busy and happy so I am, too. (And to young moms, good days are ahead! It’s sweet–and hard–when your kids are little, but big kids are so much fun and can bathe themselves!)

Favorite blogging-related gig you’ve ever gotten? I would say any of the times I’ve been able to travel with my best friend (and “assistant”) Katie. We’ve gotten to attend events and work on projects, and it’s always a hoot for us to try to act “business-y” together for any extended period of time. Off the top of my head, I would say our fun trips to NYC, a patio makeover in Utah that we did for Lowe’s and a beautiful fall weekend Colonial Williamsburg with Benjamin Moore have been the highlights.

Do you ever think you’ll go back to designing for clients? This is an easy answer for me. No. It was not for me. I like to create, I like to write, I like to thrift. I like to sit behind my computer.  I do not like to deal with other people’s budgets and all of the business end of things that are involved in the design process. Online design might be an option at some point, but I’m still waiting for the inspiration to hit.

My biggest takeaway from blogging? Happiness doesn’t mean always striving for the next thing. I’ve written about this before but I have absolutely no desire to write a design book or have a design show or anything bigger and better, for now anyway. I’m happiest in my small corner of the world, blogging when I can, working on my house and just seeing what comes along day by day.

Does it still bring you joy? Does your family wish you’d grow it or quit altogether? As far as my family goes, I’m not even sure some of my kids know what I do, and if they are aware, they’re certainly not impressed. :) As for the joy part, yes, blogging in itself still makes me happy. What makes me tired is the shift from just being able to blog to also having to create all of this extra content for Instagram to “keep up.” I occasionally like to make a reel but I’ll never do it every day to satisfy an algorithm. I also think it’s risky to put your whole business into a social media platform (as evidenced by the recent TikTok ban). So, for now, I’ll continue to be here, blogging like the olden days.

Happy to answer any other questions you have in the comments.

Here’s a post I wrote about what I learned during my first ten years of blogging.

TWO. A happy design refresh with a sweet backstory.

THREE. A great Instagram follow for food, flowers and cozy home photos.

FOUR. This beautiful apartment belongs to the co-founder of Chairish. Photography: David Mitchell

FIVE. An updated Tudor home. (And, more pics of that cozy brown room here.)

Photography: Lindsay Brown Taunton

[show_ms_widget id=”36105016″ image_id=”41984001″ width=”900″ height=”1424″]

SIX. A few happy and bright Saturday finds.

We started with the classic spool chair (which I do really love) in a LIGHT fabric. I don’t care how Sunbrella or family friendly a fabric is suppose to be. Nothing can compete with tiny fingers covered in Cheeto dust. We kept these for several years until I sold them on Marketplace. I didn’t feel like I wanted to invest the money in reupholstery when the kids were still so little.

I quickly found some uncomfortable, pleather chairs on Marketplace for a steal. They were pretty crappy quality and not even comfortable, but they were cheap and readily available. A really terrible reason to buy something for your home. Lesson learned.

Next, I moved on to more Marketplace chairs. These were leather, much more comfortable and made by Lee Industries. Unfortunately, they were just too big–a fact I tried to ignore for a while. Eventually, these were moved up to my oldest son’s room/tv area.

Next up were these cute wingbacks in a classic navy fabric. I actually still like the way these looked here. They did sit a little upright for a place where I like to lounge. (I ended up selling one and keeping the other for my younger son’s bedroom. Do you see a theme here?) I only got rid of them because a few weeks later. . .

My dad and I found this vintage chair and ottoman set for $300 on one of our thrifting adventures. The size was perfect for the space and the fabric worked with my walls.

It was a win/win until we used the heck out of them and the lightweight fabric started ripping. A local fabric store reached out to me about partnering for a project, and it seemed like magical timing. I had them recovered in a dark gray velvet and all seemed pretty perfect until. . .

THESE chairs popped upon Facebook Marketplace. (I was not actively looking for chairs, by the way. No, really.) I cannot resist a good chinoiserie print and a young family was selling these for $100 for the pair. I immediately went to get them–and the velvet chairs now happily live in our bedroom. The gray ottoman still worked here, thankfully.

They’re definitely older and the fabric has some wear for sure, but all of the pattern helps to disguise that for the most part. My guess is that they were handed down from their parents and they probably couldn’t wait to get rid of them. Lucky me!

I know I’ve said this a hundred (well, actually seven) times before, but they really do seem perfect for the space. :)

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”5298010″]

[show_ms_widget id=”36104917″ image_id=”41983898″ width=”900″ height=”1282″]

A few highlights. . .

• The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe  I think I might have seen this one on Sarah Jessica Parker’s Instagram account, which makes sense because it reads like a mix of Sex And the City and Mad Men. It was written in 1958 and was one of my favorite books of the year.
• Father of the Rain by Lily King  A coming of age story about a young girl that navigates her way through her parents’ divorce and her father’s alcoholism and how it affects her relationships and decisions into adulthood.
• The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters  The story of a family of berry pickers in the 1960s and the disappearance of their young daughter during one of those summers. It’s a story about a family’s heartache, long held secrets and how race affects it all.

What was the best book you read last year?

Find more book recs in my Amazon store.

But, with five young kids, this is how it stayed 99.9% of the time:

I did paint the inside navy and tried to add some bins, but it didn’t help. When we decided to renovate the kids’ bathrooms and pull up the carpeting, my biggest personal request was that I might have a laundry room (no matter how small) with a door that locks. It’s one of the best things we’ve changed about the house, in my opinion.

Here’s how our contractor did it: They first knocked out the wall behind the washer and dryer and took space from the adjacent bedroom’s closet to give me a deeper room that would hold my washer, dryer and some built-in cabinets. Since that left a bedroom without a closet, they built out a small one that created a little nook where we put his desk.

We were able to use a pocket door so I did get my lock, which felt more important when the kids were little and I needed a moment. :)

And, here’s the flip side of the space. My son’s room where we built out a small closet:

This kid is almost finished with his second year of college, if that tells you how overdue this post is. . . Life!

You can find more details about the wallpaper I used here.

TWO. A strong case for using bold stripes in an entryway.

THREE. The whole house is great, but this kitchen is straight out of a Nancy Meyers’ movie.

FOUR. This home tour makes me want to immediately hang more art on my walls.

FIVE.  I never tire of looking at pictures of this house.

[show_ms_widget id=”36104763″ image_id=”41983742″ width=”1080″ height=”1920″]

SIX. Stylish coats and jackets on sale this weekend.

A few of the good things I’ve discovered lately. . .

A classic plaid blazer.

Everyday court sneakers.

And these Chelsea boots are super comfortable.

I recently ordered several of these pans from Amazon. (Mine were beyond hope.)

My favorite sweatshirt that I own. (And it’s under $20.)

Yes, I bought one of these face tools. Is it working? I have no idea, but it’s a relaxing nighttime ritual while I watch TV and it feels like I’m making an effort. :)

This $6 under eye brightener.

A cozy cardigan for layering over t-shirts or dresses.

I’ve been using a walking pad for a few months now. Except for the two times I’ve fallen off, I’m really enjoying it. I found a deal on Marketplace, but this one is similar to mine.

Pretty wall hangings in this Etsy shop.

If you like a book about complicated family relationships, I loved this one.

And her memoir on audio was excellent.

I included this $25 lounge set in my holiday gift guide, and I’ve been living in mine.

Highly recommend this matted frame from Target.

My college-aged daughter has been carrying this cute laptop bag.

I made this chicken and broccoli pasta for dinner earlier in the week, and it was a hit.

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”5292247″]

More of my past Good Things can be found here.

Lamps—and not just one. I like to use multiple (small, large, floor, task–maybe too many?) lamps in the same room. My family knows I have an aversion to being in any room where there’s only a ceiling light. It literally makes my head feel weird. (You know what I’m talking about, right?) My favorite way is to thrift the lamp bases (and paint if necessary) and pick up inexpensive, updated shades at Target. I’ve also found good shades thrifting but often end up painting those, too.

Family photos–and lots of white space. Filling your walls with framed family photos is a quick way to personalize your space—and you can add to your gallery wall through the years. I like to use frames with big white mats to make each photo feel important and the whole gallery look more polished. I’ve recently purchased several of these frames.

Don’t underestimate the power of bookcases for cozying up a space. They don’t have to be built-in or even perfectly styled; books by themselves can add warmth to a room. In our living room, I added two white IKEA bookcases to act as a “frame” around a doorway and love the collected feel they bring to our home. Bookcases are also cozy in bedrooms, dining rooms and even hallways, if you have the space.

What would you add to this list?